


Who the hell is Corbin Anderson?

by Cleopatra (empressofthelight)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! - All Media Types, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Character Death, Established Relationship, F/M, Grieving, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, M/M, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Out of Body Experiences, Past Drug Use, bring your tissues, life after death, not DSoD compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-09-21
Packaged: 2020-09-27 22:58:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 113,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20415694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empressofthelight/pseuds/Cleopatra
Summary: Kaiba promised to take Jou on a vacation for their three year anniversary, as an apology for the last three years of missing every anniversary, birthday, holiday, and everything in between. He still didn't know what the big deal was. Jou knew he had a company to run. As fate would have it, the day they were to leave... his jet crashed.He should be dead. And maybe he was, waking up in a hospital with a family and best friend he'd never met before and a different face, a different name. But he'd faced worse odds and made it out on top before and this was no different. He could turn this around and go back home.The harder he worked to get back to Domino, to his office in Kaiba Corp., and to his life before, the more he realized... he might not have a home to go back to.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just so you know, not that I NEED to tell you, Kaiba and several other characters in this have some pretty shitty opinions of life and people in general. Don't be too mad at them. XD Hope you brought your tissues. I needed them writing this that's for sure. Thank you for reading!

Kaiba looked out at the horizon, squinting at the bright light of the sun reflecting off the ocean below. “So far so good.”

“It’s still showing an error, Seto.” Mokuba sighed into the headset, “Maybe you should come back and we’ll look at it closer.”

He nodded to himself, staring at the controls of his jet. The onboard computer kept sending out an error but nothing they tried would change it. Maybe the computer was the issue. He turned the jet around, scrutinizing every movement and blinking light. Everything looked normal, but he had the nagging suspicion something was off. A big enough suspicion that he didn’t want anyone to go in it until it was resolved. Meaning, if he didn’t fix it in the next hour, they’d have to take a different means of transportation to go on their vacation.

“Oh! Jou’s here. He wants to talk to you,” Mokuba chirped, replaced by rummaging and popping noises.

Jou’s bright voice came on the headset, clear and loud as usual. “Hey babe! Why ya out in the jet? Ya know we gotta leave in an hour. ”

Kaiba snickered and shook his head. “I’m checking into an error message before we leave. Why aren’t you packing?”

“Eh, I ain’t packed shit yet. It takes ten minutes. And that means I got 50 ta do nothin’ with! ‘N since I knew ya already packed, I'm here ta bother ya.”

“If you aren’t packed when I get back, I’m leaving you here, pup.”

“It’s gonna take ten minutes!”

He heard Mokuba laughing through the headset while Jou tried to defend his ‘it takes ten minutes’ delusion until he saw the docks. Just a little further to the landing strip and he could get this problem resolved. Suddenly, he felt something strange, like someone was right behind him. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end, and he gripped the controls tighter. Not only did he feel like something was wrong with the jet, but something very bad was about to happen. “Mokuba check the computer system now!”

“He’s talkin’ ta you, kid.”

Thankfully Jou had Mokuba on the headset in a matter of seconds. “It’s reading fine now… The error is gone. Did you do anything?”

As soon as he said that. The jet jerked in the air, dropping. He pulled up on the controls until it locked on him. All the lights flashed; then, to his horror, went out. He flipped the back up power switch on the panel, something he’d put in place if specifically for a situation like this, but it didn’t work. “Mokuba!”

Nothing.

He hit every damn button and switch in his reach, but nothing worked. He slammed his fist on the control panel; still nothing. Every attempt at pulling on the controls. Nothing. Every hit to the control panel until the plastic covers cracked and shattered. Nothing. He was helpless; powerless. The water drew closer, it's shimmering surface reflecting like glass stinging his eyes. He tightened his grip on the controls until his knuckles were white, staring at the water drawing ever closer. The presence behind him moved closer too. His heart hammered in his chest. He tried to turn, to see it with his own eyes, but the shaking of the jet, and his locked harness wouldn’t allow it. All he saw was water, closing in far too quickly. He might not know how fast the jet was going, but he knew it was too fast. He didn’t have much chance of surviving this… and he knew it.

He closed his eyes and braced himself, ready for the end he knew was coming, when he swore he felt someone wrap their arms around him and whisper softly in his ear, _“I’ve got you.” _

The jet hit the water. That’s the last thing he felt. 

\---

When he opened his eyes, he groaned at the white light over him. He wasn’t in any pain, a little stiff and had a headache, but otherwise fine. Which probably meant he was paralyzed. There was no way he managed to live through that without a scratch. Everything was blurry, the lights, the sounds. It smelled like a hospital though. No mistaking that. He tried to reach up and rub his eyes, more or less to see if he was in fact paralyzed, but he felt his hand on his face. So he wasn't? 

The faded beeping in the room became more clear and so did his vision. His mouth felt dry and his lips were cracked. He tried to look around him, but something in his mouth kept him from turning his head. He thought about moving it, but without knowing what was going on, it was best to let it go. The last thing he needed was to make things worse. 

He took a deep breath of the sterile air. It was a hospital room alright, but it didn’t look like the hospital from Domino. He pushed the button on the side of the bed to lift it up so he could get a better look and frowned as it slowly rose. The room was empty, aside from a small vase of fresh flowers on a table off to the side of his bed. He quirked a brow at it. It just felt out of place and off handed. Where was Jou and Mokuba? He glared at the empty room a little longer, before relenting to call a nurse. He didn’t want to deal with them, but it was better than trying to figure out what was doing on stuck in the bed. He looked down at the panel as best he could and hit the button, noticing a light across the room by the door light up. He squinted at the nurses board on the wall and read through it. It was in English, entirely in English, and that made his frown deepen. He scoffed at it, still reading from the last patient; Corbin Anderson. 

When a nurse finally did come into the room, she hesitantly walked in. Then looked at him like he was a zombie that might eat her, and she bolted out of the room. He rolled his eyes and sighed, looking down at himself for the first time. He didn’t feel hurt, but all the tubes and machines lead him to believe otherwise. 

Then the nurse came back into the room with a doctor and a few other nurses. They all gave him the same shocked look then the doctor walked over to him, grinning from ear to ear. “Wow! It’s good to see you finally awake!”

English again? Kaiba decided that for whatever reason he was taken to a hospital in the USA. He blinked at the doctor, then looked around the room again. Finally awake? Was he in a coma? That would explain a lot; the off handed vase, the empty room and the tubes. A coma would also be a good reason for Mokuba to have him sent wherever was necessary to get him back. But still…

The nurse walked over to the bedside and started to fiddle with things, drawing his attention to her. She took his blood pressure, wrote down things from the machines, and finally turned to the doctor. “Everything’s reading normal.”

“Good.” 

The doctor and nurses, disconnected some of the machines, and removed the tube from his mouth. After what felt like an hour of them talking amongst each other and rushing all around the room, the doctor cleared his throat. “How are you feeling?”

“I-” Kaiba coughed. He reached up and touched his throat, alarmed at the sound of his voice. Was he that thirsty that he sounded so different?

“You’ve been in a coma for a long time. It’s normal to have trouble talking and moving. I’m actually impressed you were able to do much of anything.” He offered him a sympathetic smile and walked over to the opposite side of the bed from the nurse. “We’ve called your family and they’re on their way to see you.”

Kaiba nodded, not trusting his voice.

“I want to ask you some questions, if you’re feeling up to it?”

“Alright.” He frowned and touched his throat again. “Can I get some water?”

“Of course,” the nurse said, scurrying out of the room.

“First, what is your name?”

“Kaiba, Seto.”

The doctor frowned at him and then cleared his throat again. “What year is it?”

“2010.”

His frown deepened. “When I said your family would be here, who are they?”

Kaiba just stared at him, getting the distinct impression his answers were wrong. “Who do_ you _ think I am?”

The doctor quirked an eyebrow at him and gestured towards the board. Kaiba stared at it. He couldn’t be serious. “Your name is Corbin Anderson. You live in Pitoka, Illinois. I’m assuming you don’t remember why you’re here?”

Kaiba just stared at him. So he died? That’s the only explanation that would make any sense, but even that didn’t really. 

“You had a heroin overdose a few years back. You were flown here, to St. Joan Hospital and I’m doctor Malcom Lacy.”

“This has to be hell.”

The doctor laughed and pulled a pen from his pocket then reached over to grab a clipboard from a nearby table. “This is a second chance for you.” He scribbled some things down and then glanced back up. “I’ve seen a lot of overdoses here, and so many who didn’t come out of it like you did. Whether you remember anything or not. This is a chance to turn your life around.”

His mind reeled with questions as he watched the doctor write on his board. One in particular seemed more pressing. “What family are you talking about?”

Dr. Lacey looked up and smiled. “Your mother and father. I believe a good friend of yours is coming up to. They’ve visited you almost every day for the last few years. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they know about your amnesia.”

“When do I get out of here?”

He laughed and turned to walk away, still staring at the clip board. “If all goes well, in a few days.”

He walked out of the room, leaving him alone. The beeping was gone, since the nurse had taken away those particular machines, and the silence bothered him. He reached for the remote and turned the television on, hoping to find a news channel to figure out what was going on. He found a local one, talking about a student fundraiser for sick kids and about a shooting at a local grocery store, but he wasn’t interested in any of that. He kept flipping channels until he found a channel about politics, but it was also dominated with the country's political campaign going on, so nothing about world affairs came through. He switched the television off and sighed. Where was a computer when he needed one?

“Corbin?”

He glanced over at the doorway and saw a middle aged woman with salt and pepper hair and steel grey eyes walk into the room, clutching her worn purse to her chest. She smiled at him, with tears in her eyes as she made her way over to him. 

“Dr. Lacey told us you don’t remember, so I um.” She stopped and took a deep breath, sitting on the side of the bed. “I wanted to introduce myself.” She laughed as if the idea was a great joke and took his hand in hers. “My name is Sylia Anderson and I’m your mom.”

She truly believed that and that bothered him most so far. Being called the wrong name was infuriating, but he could always change it. He couldn’t change this. What was he going to say to her? Sorry I have no fucking idea who you are lady but your not my mother. That would go over great. 

He pulled his hand away from her and tried his best to be nice about it. He sucked at being nice about anything, Jou and Mokuba told him that on an hourly basis, but they weren’t here to cover for him. He was on his own. “I’m pretty sure you think I’m someone I’m not. I don’t know who Corbin is and I’ve never seen you before in my life.”

To his irritation, she continued to smile at him. “You are Corbin and I am your mother. I have a birth certificate, scars, videos and DNA proof that you are.” She laughed and patted his hand before standing. “I’m sorry you woke up alone. Your father and I couldn’t take any more time off work. Hospitals aren’t cheap you know.”

He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt guilty like he should apologize for being there. Which pissed him off more. He was in a jet crash and paid his own hospital bills. He didn't know who she was paying for, but it wasn’t him. He started to say something about it when someone else stepped into the room. 

He was around Kaiba’s age, by appearance. Sharp jaw line and high cheek bones, tan skin. He had long dark red hair, loosely braided and off to the side with almost maroon colored eyes. His clothes seemed to clash his dark features, bright blue tee shirt and white wash tattered jeans. He walked in and put his hand on Mrs. Anderson’s shoulder, then smiled at him. Kaiba frowned at him, not because it was someone else he’d never seen before, but because he looked so familiar. Maybe not his features but how he was smiling. He knew him. And that started another round of panic. What if he was wrong and they were right?

Impossible. He probably just reminded him of someone. Was it Honda? No. Marik maybe? Yes… but no. It was someone else. He knew he’d seen him somewhere before. “Who are you?”

His smile faltered. “So he does have amnesia.”

“Yes,” she laughed. “But that’s okay. We’re going to get through this as a family.”

Before he could argue with that, another person entered the room. A tall man about the same age as Mrs. Anderson. Which he assumed was Corbin’s father. He had similar salt and pepper colored hair, dark eyes, a slim frame and wore an oversized suit. His maroon tie was tied wrong and laid crooked on his wrinkled off white shirt. He looked like he needed to sleep for a few years. He sighed, disappointed, and walked over to his wife, but didn’t say anything else.

“Well,” The guy with the clashing clothes held out his hand to him, “I’m Red.” Kaiba gave him an ‘are you serious’ look making him laugh. “Yeah. My parents have zero imagination.”

Mrs. Anderson leaned closer and beamed. “The doctors said you could leave in a few days if everything goes well. We have a lot to do to get ready. Would you like one of us to stay here with you?”

“No,” He hastily replied, getting a deep frown from everyone but her. “I mean, no thank you. I’ll be fine.”

“Of course honey. I’ll bring by some photo albums for you tomorrow. Maybe something will spark your memories.”

“Sure.”

She stood up from the bed and lifted her hands, hesitantly, then drew them back. “Can I give you a hug?”

He wanted to say no. Really really wanted to say no. This was already too weird and uncomfortable, but something in the way she looked at him, made him feel like he didn’t have much of a choice. So he sighed and nodded. She beamed at him, tears returning to her eyes and hugged him. She hugged just like Mokuba did, as tight as she could, hoping to squeeze the breath out of him. Mokuba must be worried about him. Was he okay? Did he know where he was? 

She pulled back and smiled through her tears. “We’ll see you tomorrow honey. Take it easy.”

They followed her out of the room, passing by a nurse as they went. She walked up to him and smiled brightly. “The kitchen’s still open. Would you like something to eat? I can get you some jello or a Popsicle?”

“Jello? That’s not food.”

She laughed. “You’re right about that, but you’re on a liquid diet until the doctor changes that. You’ve been out for a while. Your body might not like solid food just yet.”

He groaned and leaned his head back onto the pillow. “I’m fine.”

“Sure thing.” 

She turned to walk away and he sat up. “Where’s the phone?”

She gestured towards the table next to his bed and smiled. “Who are you going to call?”

“No one. Just wanted to know where it was in case someone called.” 

He was lying. She knew he was lying, but she didn’t argue. She just nodded and left the room. As soon as she was gone he grabbed the phone and dialed Mokuba’s number. He might be in a completely different country, but phones still worked. He held it to his ear waiting for a dial tone, but all he got was a voice saying the number couldn’t be reached. He dialed it again, thinking maybe with his shaky hands he’d hit the wrong button, but the same voice came on. He slammed the phone down on the table, sending it toppling to the floor. 

He laid there for who knew how long before eventually he fell asleep, wondering what the hell happened.

\------

“We needed this,” Jou sighed, beside him.

The sun was bright but not blinding, and he could feel the warmth from it and the sand under him. The waves lapped at his feet, and he took a deep breath of salty air that smelled of the ocean and sunscreen. Kids laughed and ran down the other side of the beach while their mother yelled at them to stay where she could see them. This was where they were going on vacation, the Bahamas? He promised he’d take Jou for their anniversary after having to work through the first two. So he made it this time?

“Yeah, we did.”

Jou turned to face him, grinning. Kaiba took in everything that he could see of him. The sand and ocean water glistening off his chest and stomach. The redness of his shoulders from being in the sun too long and how his fingers pruned from the water. His hair, a matted, wet and sandy mess, but he never looked so stunning. “I love you.”

Jou’s grin widened, his golden eyes twinkling in the sunlight. “Ya better. I’ve put up with your ass for three years. I think I earned it.”

He laughed and rolled over, kissing him. Not caring that he had sand everywhere or tasted like salt water and sunscreen. Jou moaned against his lips and took a deep breath when they moved away from each other. “I miss you,” Jou whispered, suddenly looking pained. “Why’d ya leave me?”

“What?”

“Corbin, honey please. I need you to wake up. We just got you back.” 

Kaiba blinked and suddenly Jou was gone, just sand and the beach beside him. He looked up at the kids but they were gone. Just the mother remained, and she looked exactly like the woman he met at the hospital. She shared the same pained expression Jou had then she turned to sand too. He heard an explosion and turned to look out on the ocean. Heading straight for him was his jet, burning and crackling, so close he could feel the heat of it. 

He gasped and tried to get up, but someone grabbed his shoulders. “It’s just me. It’s okay. Everything’s going to be okay.”

He tried to catch his breath, sweat dripping from his temples down the sides of his face. He was freezing, the only warmth from the hands on his shoulders. He looked around and saw her, Mrs. Anderson, staring at him with a soft smile. “It’s okay honey. Just a bad dream.”

“_This _ is a bad dream,” he spat and moved away from her. 

He sat up in the bed and ran his hands through his hair, not liking at all how long it was. Then he saw it, out of the corner of his eye. It wasn’t brown. “What did you do to my hair?!”

“What?”

“Why is it black? Did you do this?”

She frowned at him. “Honey your hair is the same color as mine. Always has been.”

Kaiba swung his legs over the side of the bed and pushed himself up. She tried to stop him but he just moved her to the side. He stumbled and swayed, grabbing anything he could to steady himself. He needed a mirror. He needed to see it. When he made it to the bathroom, he tripped over the linoleum divider and fell hard on the tile. Groaning he pushed himself up again. He could hear her talking to him, telling him to calm down and to stop but he didn’t. He pulled himself up on the metal handles along the wall and then grabbed the sink to steady himself. He stared at his reflection in the mirror with complete terror. 

“No. No no no no no!”

He didn’t see himself. He saw someone with black hair and steel grey eyes. Slim like the man with the strange suit. This wasn’t him at all. He saw her walking slowly up behind his reflection, watching him with worry and maybe the same fear he was feeling. Her lip trembled and she wrang her hands in front of her. “I know this is scary, but I want to help.”

Kaiba’s shocked expression morphed into utter hatred as he stared at the man in the mirror. He was the type of person Kaiba hated most. The ones with a good family and a promising future, yet threw it away because they couldn’t get their shit together. He had to sacrifice and work from the day he lost his parents to get to where he was. Not only was he the type of person he hated, but this meant he had to start all over. 

“So let me get this straight?” He growled, “I’m a no account worthless drug addict, with an overworked family that I’m financially and emotionally crippling for at least the last three fucking years and a friend with the stupidest name I’ve ever heard. Is he a piece of shit drug addict too? With a name like that I wouldn’t be surprised.”

The worry immediately vanished from her face and she started laughing. It sounded so relieved and so genuine it took him by surprise. He turned to face her, still frowning, but now curious why she found that so funny. It wasn’t funny at all. It was awful. 

“Pretty much. You’re probably lucky you don’t remember anything.” Her laughter faded, and she looked at him with a proud smile. “Red isn’t a drug addict or a dealer if that’s what your thinking. He’s an old friend of yours that you lost contact with in high school because of the drugs. He came back into our lives when you overdosed. He’s been heaven sent to us.” She then grinned wickedly. “And his name isn’t Red. That’s a nickname. His name is actually Aloysius. He hates it with a passion and insists everyone call him Red, blaming it on his parents. The truth is funnier though.”

Kaiba felt himself grinning back at her. He was still furious, confused and upset, but the more he talked to her, the more he liked her. For some reason, she kept reminding him of Mokuba. He turned back to stare at the mirror. 

“I need to do something with this,” he said, pulling at a chunk of his hair, “It looks like shit.”

She laughed again and gently took his arm. “You’re right about that. It does.”

\------

The next night he didn’t dream, and Sylia stayed there after he fell asleep. He couldn’t get her to leave, and he did try. Not that he was upset to see her when he woke up. For some reason, it was comforting not to be in the cold hospital alone. She looked tired, the bags under her eyes more visible now as she slept in what had to be a very uncomfortable plastic chair. He’d give her the bed and take the chair if the nurses wouldn’t throw a fit. 

When they came in to get him for physical therapy, he insisted they keep quiet to not wake her up. When he came back, he noticed she wasn’t there, but on the bed were some folded clothes and a note from her. 

‘Here’s some clothes for you honey. It’s so cold in your room! I think you might have a different sense of style now, so I figured we’d go shopping for new clothes and get your haircut when you can come home. Till then, you’ll have to suffer with these.’ She drew a smiley face and wrote ‘I love you’ at the end. 

He tossed the note to the side and looked down at the clothes. They looked like something Jou would wear. Stains everywhere, worn to death and faded. Looking at them, he wished they were Jou’s. Then he’d at least have a little bit of him there. He’d smell him on the clothes that he had to fight him to wash, but they weren’t his and they smelled like knock off floral detergent. 

Kaiba changed into them and made his way back to the bed. He stared at it, like it was going to cripple him further and decided to walk down the hall. Jou was always eating chips and wiping his hands on his clothes and right now, wearing these clothes, he felt like he could use some chips. He walked down the hall to where the waiting room was, stopping at the vending machine. But it was a waste of time. He didn’t have any money. Why didn’t he think of that before? He sighed and started to make his way back to his room when he ran into his nurse coming out of one of the rooms he passed by. 

“Corbin! You’re up walking? That’s great!” She frowned at him then smiled. “I think you’re the first person I've seen that took the whole ‘you have to keep moving’ thing from physical therapy to heart.”

“I wanted some chips but I don’t have change.”

“Oh!” She reached into her pocket and handed him a couple US dollars and smiled. “Get yourself some chips. You earned it.”

He stared down at the money, not feeling right that he needed it from someone else. He hadn’t felt like that in a long time and it brought a bunch of bad memories to the surface. But she was long gone before he got a chance to tell her no. He muttered under his breath and went back to the vending machine. Got what he wanted, then went back to his room. He sat on the bed, aching everywhere, slowly laying back and wincing. Maybe walking down the hall was overzealous. He flipped on the television and watched some movie he hadn’t seen in years. But he wasn’t awake long enough to see the end.

\-----

“It’s our fuckin’ anniversary Kaiba! Did ya forget again?”

“I’ve never forgotten anything! I have shit I have to do and if you don’t like it, you can leave!”

Kaiba watched himself fighting with Jou with a disappointed sigh. This fight was stupid then and it was stupid watching it now. He still didn’t understand why this one day was so important to Jou. He didn’t care about anything else. He missed birthdays, parties, get togethers with Jou’s friends, holidays and weekends he promised but never came to fruition. So why he took that one day and made such a big deal about it, he didn’t know. It wasn’t any different. Nothing changed because he said it needed to. Why fight so hard about it?

And fight he did. 

He packed his things. He moved out and he didn’t talk to Kaiba for a week afterwards. When they did finally talk again, he made him promise to take him on a vacation for their third year anniversary. As an apology, as well as to show him he could do it. But he never made it, did he? 

Kaiba walked down the stairs of his house to the living room. Everything was out of place and scattered. It didn’t even look like his living room, more like the living room of his parents' house. He stared at it, frowning. It looked like it did when they died, when the family came in and divided his things amongst themselves. 

“Where do you want this to go?” 

Kaiba turned and saw Yuugi walking through with a box in his hands. He heard someone answer him, but the voice wasn’t anyone he recognized. It sounded familiar, like he knew them, but he didn't. So he followed Yuugi through the living room to a different room where the voice was coming from. He walked through the door and sucked in a deep breath rolling over in the hospital bed. “Urgh.”

Another strange dream. Was he going to always have these? Why couldn’t he have normal dreams? Probably from the damn chips and soda; or maybe it was because he fell asleep with the television on. He looked up at it, playing a rerun of some old black and white show. He rolled back over to go back to sleep when his hair got in his way. He muttered under his breath and pulled it back. If he didn't get it cut soon, he was going to pull it out. 


	2. Chapter 2

Walking out of the hospital lobby into the humid wall of heat outside, he felt free and stifled all at the same time. The nurse talked to him at physical therapy that morning about record heat in the area. She also mentioned it was the middle of July. Kaiba thought it was August. 

Sylia walked him to her car, a beat up old Lincoln Towncar, parked in the circle drive of the hospital with Mr. Anderson at the wheel. He smiled at him and waved curtly, then turned to look at the dashboard. That had to be the first time he saw him since meeting them. Not that he blamed him. He looked just as beat down as Sylia, and he probably still held some kind of grudge against ‘Corbin’. After all, it sounded like the guy was an asshole and deserved the treatment. So he didn’t pay attention to it.

Red climbed out of the car and rest his elbows on the roof. “Ready to get your hair cut? Sylia said we’re headed that way.”

“Yes. I’ve been ready since I saw it,” he spat, climbing into the car.

They drove to a hair salon and Kaiba strode in knowing exactly what he wanted for his hair. He wanted it cut like he always had it. So when he told the woman that’s what he wanted and she made a face at him; he stood up from the chair and walked out of the salon. Like hell was he letting her anywhere near his head with scissors. 

Sylia ran after him grabbing his arm. “Where are you going?”

“To a different place. If I let her touch my hair, it’ll be ten times worse than it is now.”

He reached for the handle of the car but it was locked. He had to wait until Sylia got Red and Mr. Anderson from the salon before he could get inside. They drove to another place; same thing happened. They ended up going to 3 different salons before Mr. Anderson had enough. He walked in first and asked all of them if anyone was willing to just do what Kaiba wanted. They finally found someone and she did a great job, he had to admit. He sighed staring into the mirror at someone else's face but at least his hair was more like he wanted.

After the hair stylist finished, she grinned at him in the mirror, leaning over him. “Well, Corbin, when you’re right, you’re right. Looks great on you.”

“What would you have suggested, if I'd asked?”

She beamed and ran her fingers through his hair pulling it up. “I’d either leave it a couple centimeters longer so it frames your face or I’d do this. Cut the sides short and smooth the top back so you’re eyes pop more.”

“Thank you.”

“Sure thing! I wish everyone came in here this happy with what they originally wanted.” 

Kaiba was a little proud by the fact this place was half the price of the other three and she did a much better job than he knew the rest of them could. They climbed back into the Lincoln and pulled out of the lot. Sylia twisted in her seat and smiled at him. “I love it.”

“I know.”

Red laughed and shook his head. “So where’s the next stop? Clothes?”

“We need to go home,” Mr. Anderson said, looking at the clock.

“He needs new clothes, dear,” Sylia said sweetly, trying to change his mind.

“And I need to get back to work. You can’t buy clothes if I don’t have a job.”

Sylia gave him a weird look and turned to face forward in the car. Red sighed, resting his elbow on the edge of the door. He brushed his fingers over his lips, frowning like he was thinking of some way to convince him to turn around, but he never came up with anything. Kaiba couldn’t either.

Over the next hour and a half they drove through corn field after corn field after corn field. Did anyone even live here? They exited off the highway into a small town with a single grocery store, a drug store and a hardware store. The rest of the shops were boarded up with for lease or sale signs in them. 

They drove through some nice, but simple subdivisions until they got to an older part of the town with dated houses; some overrun with brush and others needing major repairs. They pulled into the driveway of a home that needed both dealt with. The roof was patched with mismatched shingles, the wood split, needing paint or to be replaced, and some of the windows were taped up with duct tape and plastic. 

He stood in the cracked driveway just staring at the absolute mess that was this ‘house.’ Sylia wrapped her arm under his and grinned proudly, “Welcome home!”

Mr. Anderson was already inside, the door slamming behind him sending rattles all through the house. She left Kaiba in the driveway beside Red, and walked inside. How could she look at this as proud as she did? It was a disaster!

“The inside looks better,” Red commented, shrugging his shoulders with his hands in his pockets, “They worked really hard to buy this place, a little while after they had you, from what they said. They’re really proud of it.”

“Why does it look like this then?”

“Oh I don’t know. Maybe because they were constantly paying thousands of dollars to bail their son out of jail, cover charges he spent on their cards when he stole them, and paid for three years of constant care in an over priced hospital with less than stellar insurance.”

He muttered to himself, glaring at the front door, “I can fix it though. It’s not that bad.”

Red smirked at him and he had that same feeling he’d seen it before. “When you find a place to start, let me know. I’ll help.”

“Are you any good at it?”

Red snickered, “Probably not, but I’m a fast learner.”

Kaiba didn’t say anything to that and started to walk towards the house; Red right behind him. When he got to the door he heard Mr. Anderson and Sylia fighting and groaned, “Great.”

Red laughed and followed him inside. Syila ran off into one of the other rooms leaving Mr. Anderson at a folding table in the kitchen with a laptop surrounded by papers. He scowled at it and didn’t bother looking up. Red tapped his arm and nodded towards the hallway. Kaiba followed him through the hall to a door on the left. It had Corbin’s name in kidlike letters with a small blue handprint on it. He pushed open the creaky door and look at the room. 

His shoulders slumped staring at it. It looked like a drug addict teenagers room. The bed was made, but trash bags were stuffed into corners along with junk littering the floor and every other surface. Sylia probably tried to clean it and gave up. The walls were covered in posters of heavy metal bands and half naked female models. 

He walked inside and started laughing. 

Red walked into the small space not covered in junk and frowned at him. “What’s so funny?”

“I hate _ everything _ in here,” he laughed, then pointed to the poster of the model, “especially this.”

He tore it off the wall and crumpled it up. Red raised his brow at him. “What are you going to do when you get your memories back? You liked this stuff.”

“Yeah well. I had shitty taste,” Kaiba muttered, stopping his laughter to tear apart the room. “This is all trash. All of it.”

“Not all of it,” Red insisted. “What about this?”

He pointed to a broken picture frame with scrabble pieces glued to it reading ‘family’ on the side. The cracked glass covered a family picture of Corbin, when he was maybe 8, and Sylia and Mr. Anderson. Kaiba waded through the trash over to the picture frame and dug it up off the dresser covered in who knows what. He snapped the frame in half and took the photograph out, then threw the broken frame in one of the trash bags. The photograph, he stared at for a while, still not seeing how this kid, this family, ended up like they did. 

He set the photo down on the bed and started tearing apart the room again, throwing things in bags to be pitched. When he finally made it over to the wall with the metal band posters he tore them all down, revealing holes in the walls. “You have to be fucking kidding me! What else needs fixed? Did he break everything? Is the bed even solid?” 

He kicked it and it crumpled, falling to the ground with a loud pop. Red snickered and walked over to the bed, pushing it gently and it fell to the ground the rest of the way. “I’ll get some more trash bags.”

He left the room and Kaiba glared at everything. He was probably going to get a disease from a random needle in all this shit. And the walls? Posters don’t patch anger issues and he’d know. Jou managed to punch the same wall three separate times that he had to fix.

“I’ll … I’ll get you another bed,” he heard someone say from the doorway, “You don’t need to be straining yourself. You just got back.”

Kaiba turned to see Mr. Anderson standing in the doorway looking at the room with a mournful frown. That just made him furious. “No. I don’t need another bed. I need all of this shit out of here. I can sleep on the ground til I fix it.”

“You don’t know how to fix it, Corbin.”

“Your worthle-” Kaiba stopped himself and took a deep breath. “Yes I do.” 

He stomped out of the room and pushed right past Mr. Anderson to look at the rest of the house. He walked into the kitchen and saw the dishwasher door ajar and a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. All mismatched and looked like they were bought at a flea market. The living room sofa, that he could see from the kitchen, looked stained and bowed. The coffee table wasn’t a coffee table at all, just a few plastic crates with plywood over them, piled high with dishes and papers. The refrigerator, when he opened it, was empty in the freezer part and not working at all. The microwave also didn’t work. When he looked at the stove, it was covered in grime, and refused to turn on. How were they eating?

“Do you have a tool box?”

“A tool box?”

“Yes. I need some tools to fix this.”

Mr. Anderson didn't answer him. Kaiba turned to look over his shoulder at him and Red. Red gave him a strange smile and he walked towards a door in the kitchen. He had to bang on it to get it to open and Kaiba rolled his eyes at that too. Now he saw what Red meant. Where would he even start?

Red came back in with a worn red leather bag filled with mismatched tools and set it down next to him. Kaiba glared at it and sifted through it for what he needed. It wasn’t the tools like he had at home, but they’d do. He started working on the dishwasher first; figuring, if he could at least get that going, he could get through the rest faster. He was almost finished when he noticed he was being watched. Red, Mr. Anderson and Sylia all stared at him with wide eyes. He turned away and finished up with the dishwasher, closing the door. “You don’t have detergent, do you?”

“Actually, I still have a whole box left.” She laughed and walked around him in the small kitchen to grab the box from under the sink. “Isn’t it always the way? Get a new box and it breaks.”

He scoffed and pushed the buttons on the washer so it would run through a test cycle. “We’ll let it run and see if it leaks. Then I’ll fix it if it does. It shouldn’t, but I don’t have the right tools, so it might.”

He got up and moved over to the stove and microwave. Honestly, it would cost them more to fix them than to replace them. So, he didn’t bother with it. Instead he walked over to the garage door and started to work on the hinges. Sylia knelt down beside him and grabbed his arm. “You don’t need to do any of this. Especially now. You’re going to send yourself back to the hospital.”

Kaiba snorted. “Tightening screws doesn’t send anyone to the hospital, Moku-”

He stopped. This conversation happened all the time with him and Mokuba about him working too much, but working was what he did. Keeping busy kept him going. He turned to look at her and she smiled fondly at him. “I really appreciate you trying. I truly do, but you need to rest.”

He thought about saying ‘where’, but that would just make her feel worse than he was sure she already did. Red walked over and leaned above Sylia. “Let’s just clean your room. That’s a start, and then you can rest.”

“It is clean,” she said, looking up at Red.

He laughed. “He wants everything gone.”

She frowned at Kaiba and tightened her grip on his arm. “Making a big change like that… it won’t help you get your memories back.”

He blinked at her. He wasn’t getting anyone else's memories back. He was a completely different person, and he wondered if deep down she had to know that. Mr. Anderson looked at him like he was. He knew. Red didn’t seem to notice and neither did she. That was probably the strangest thing. They were close to this idiot, at least at one time. Shouldn’t they notice?

“I don’t want them back,” he said, dropping the screwdriver on the ground and standing. “If it makes you feel better, I hate that room. For whatever reason, I hate it. So I'm changing it. It’s not staying like that or I’m not sleeping in there.”

He walked past her, not trusting to keep an expressionless face while she looked at him like that. Red followed quickly behind him, trash bags in his hands. Neither Mr. Anderson or Sylia came into the room while they cleaned it out. The trash bags he thought were trash turned out to be clothes. Clothes he didn’t want anyway, but at least they weren’t used needles. With the room clear of everything, he was finally able to look at the bed frame a little better. The wood was gone. He wasn’t a carpenter. He couldn’t fix that, but he had a feeling with the amount of supplies he’d need for the rest of the house, he could build himself a new bed frame. Maybe he could get a job and buy one for himself. 

Red grinned at the bed. “It’s shot isn’t it?”

“Yes.” He pulled the frame apart and handed the pieces to Red to throw away. 

With the mattress on the ground and the room completely devoid of anything except the dresser with annoyingly squeaky drawers and the old mattress, he finally relaxed a little. It wasn’t home, but it wasn’t someone else's either. He left the room and walked into the kitchen, seeing the time on the clock being well past midnight. Red came back into the house and sighed. “It’s time for me to go but,” he walked up to Kaiba and grinned sleepily, “let me know if you need help with anything.”

He nodded and Sylia swept around him to wrap her arms over his neck, giving him the same crushing hug she’d given Kaiba in the hospital. “Thank you so much Red. Really.”

“It’s nothing.”

Kaiba watched him leave before Sylia gave him a crushing goodnight hug too. She left to go to bed and Kaiba turned to look at Mr. Anderson, still working at the folding table and refusing to look up. He thought about saying something to him, but couldn’t think of anything. So he just turned and headed towards his room. He laid down on the obscene mattress and stared up at the spackled ceiling. He wasn’t cold, like at the hospital, and that had to count for something. The room was empty, just like he wanted. Nothing about ‘Corbin’ remained, except an old family photo now taped to the door. He fell asleep, thinking of all the things he needed to do to get home.

\-----

The first week he worked on everything he could get his hands on (begrudgingly, with Red’s help). They fixed the door, the washing machine, the lawn mower, the front door, the leak in the bathroom sink, and the coffee maker. He wasn’t going another day without coffee. He wasn’t the only one who missed it. Liam made sure to have coffee in the house after that, claiming he’d sell his shoes if he needed to. Kaiba tried calling Mokuba again, still got a voice saying the number was invalid. So he made the best of what he had, made the best of what Mr. Anderson and Sylia had. 

After the second week, he stared at the phone and dialed Jou’s number. Something about calling Jou made him nervous. His stomach twisted into a million knots listening to it ring, but it just rang off the hook. He sighed and hung up. How would he explain he was in someone else's body? At least he could talk Mokuba into it. Jou was as stubborn as an ox. Hell, he’d have a hard time believing it himself, if he were in their shoes. 

The third week, he felt like he’d done enough in the house to keep it standing, but he was still restless. So he started applying for jobs. After four more weeks of searching, he realized two things; one, no one wants to hire an ex drug addict and pay them what they’re worth, and two, he might be a little particular about what jobs he would accept. Those two things didn’t go well together. So he stayed unemployed and hell bent on finding something ANYTHING to keep from going completely crazy. 

By mid September, Kaiba relented himself to the fact he should probably talk to Mr. Anderson, even if he didn’t want to deal with it. He was stuck, and at this point, wasn’t sure Jou or Mokuba even existed. Mr. Anderson sat at the folding table again, typing away and scribbling on a notebook, when Kaiba sat down across from him with a coffee mug in his hands.

Sylia worked at a hotel in the small town, getting paid minimum wage and working long ridiculous hours, but she could walk to work and bring back dinner that the restaurant attached to the hotel served. She offered to get him a job with her, but he just couldn’t do it. And he knew that had to piss Liam off. It would probably piss him off. Because of her crazy schedule, she was gone most of the time, like now. So he figured this would be the time to try and get Mr. Anderson to talk to him. He was doing a great job of staying out of Kaiba’s way thus far, but it felt strange living in a house with someone actively avoiding him. 

Kaiba took a sip of his coffee. “What are you doing?”

Mr. Anderson glanced over his thick black glasses, then back down at the computer. “I’m working.”

“On what?”

“A computer program.”

“So you’re a computer programmer?”

Mr. Anderson stopped working and took his glasses off to frown at him. “What?”

“You’re working on a computer program. You must be a computer programmer.”

Mr. Anderson leaned back in his chair, giving him a look like he was joking with him. “Look, you might have your mother fooled with that act, but I’m not buying it.”

Kaiba glared at him. “What are you talking about?”

“The amnesia thing. It’s not going to work.”

Kaiba tisked and shook his head, looking down at his coffee mug. He brought it back up to his lips- trying to think of what to do with his day since this was obviously not working- when he saw Mr. Anderson glaring at him out of his peripherals. He set the mug back down. “What now?”

“What’s my name?”

“Mr. Anderson.”

He blinked at him. “That’s the weirdest… What’s your name?”

“Apparently, Corbin.”

He laughed, slow and disbelieving at first then really picked up. He sighed, dying his laughter down and put his glasses back on. “My name is Liam.”

“It’s a pleasure, I’m sure,” Kaiba said flatly making Liam snicker.

“You really don’t remember anything?”

“No.”

“How did you fix the dishwasher then?”

“Gremlins and pixie dust.”

Liam took his glasses off again and shut his laptop. “Okay, I’ll buy that you just knew how. I’ve seen documentaries on stuff like that. It’s crazy but... So, what are you doing?”

“Talking to you.”

“No I mean… what are you trying to do? What job are you trying to get?”

He sighed, not really sure if he should answer that honestly or not. “I want something that doesn’t involve cooking or cleaning toilets.”

Liam grinned at him and nodded. “That’s a pretty low bar. But you have something in mind, what is it?”

Kaiba fidgeted, wondering if he should have talked to Liam at all. “I guess working on something.”

“Like dishwashers?”

“Or cars.”

“You can work on cars?”

“Yes.”

Liam shifted in his seat and leaned forward on the table, crossing his arms. “No you can’t.”

“Yes I can.”

“Prove it.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at him. “On what?”

“The Lincoln needs an oil change,” he said, pushing back from the table, “and I already have the stuff for it.”

“Changing a car’s oil is hardly working on it.”

“It’s more than I know you can do.”

Kaiba quirked his brow at him, getting the impression he was challenging him. He got up from the table and followed him outside to the car, parked in the cracked driveway that needed to be weeded. At least it was a little cooler outside today, tomorrow was sure to be a different story. This place was so strange with it’s drastic season changes by day. He did like the smell in the air; cut grass and rain. 

Liam walked over to the garage door and pulled it open. Kaiba followed behind him to the doorway and looked up. “Why didn't you just hit the button?”

He looked back at him, then shook his head. “You really don’t remember anything. It’s been broken since before we bought the place. Haven’t had a chance to replace it.”

“I’ll add that to the list.”

“You can’t fix that. It’s dead,” he said, bringing over the oil and a tool box. “Well. Let’s get this started.”

He helped Liam change the oil in the Lincoln, correcting him when he tried to jack the car up on the flimsy undercarriage. By the end of it, Liam had completely stepped back and watched Kaiba work on it. “You need a new air filter.”

“I know.”

“And the coolant is leaking.”

“I know.”

“It’s not hard to fix.”

“I’m sure it isn’t.”

“So why isn’t it fixed?”

He pinched his fingers together and moved them around. “Money, son. Everything is answered with that.”

“I don’t think the air filter is more than 2000 y- I mean 20 dollars.”

Liam gave him a strange look.

“Sorry I was reading the numbers on the oil pan,” he lied, hoping he would drop it.

“Ha! I do that all the time. I’ll have your mother talking to me while I’m working and the next thing I know, I'm typing what she’s saying to me.” He laughed and walked over to him. “And to answer your question, I have a job as a computer programmer, yes, but I’m an engineer. I used to build engines and part of a rocket and a bunch of other little projects, but the companies out here that hire for that lay off just as quick as they hire you.”

“So you’ve been laid off several times?”

Liam nodded. “This job is just a go between.”

“What program are you working on?”

“Nothing you need to worry about. It’s complicated to explain.”

Kaiba turned away from him so he wouldn’t see how pissed off he was about it. He hated being talked to like he didn’t know anything, but it wasn’t Liam’s fault. Corbin, apparently, didn’t know a damn thing. Sylia came walking up at that point, smiling at them. “What are you two up to?”

“Changing the oil,” he said smiling at Kaiba, “Corbin did most of it though.”

“I can see that. You're the only one not covered in dirt.” She smirked at him and raised a white plastic bag up for them both to see. “I brought dinner!”

“What is it?” Liam asked, looking into the bag, but she pulled it away from him. 

“Chicken Parmesan.”

“Mmm.”

Liam patted him on the back and started to walk towards the front door after Sylia.

\---

A week later Kaiba decided he knew Red. He didn’t know how, he didn’t know why and he certainly didn’t know who, but Red was someone he knew. He was absolutely positive, and more importantly, Red knew him. Not Corbin. Him, as Kaiba, Seto. Red started to bring things he claimed were something that he thought he’d like and they were; almost too perfectly so. But he never got him duel monsters things, and that was the only reason he wasn’t dead sure. Red never stayed long either, just long enough to help him with a project, then scurry off to do who knew what. So today, Kaiba decided to pry into who Red was while he had him trapped under the Lincoln. 

“Of course I have a job,” Red laughed.

“Where?”

“I work at my own company.”

“Really? Doing what? Selling hair dye?”

Red stiffened and Kaiba started laughing. Red kicked him then glared up at the muffler they were replacing. “I’m actually a makeup artist.”

Then he really started laughing. 

“I can leave you here to do this by yourself.”

“You probably should. You’re mostly useless anyway.”

He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, seeing how frustrated he was. Then he shifted to get a better grip. “So you own a salon?”

“Something like that.”

“I see why Co-I stopped talking to you.”

“Yeah. You’re an asshole.”

“I get that a lot.” He hit the muffler, knocking it loose and moved it to the side with Red’s help. 

“You’re actually pretty good at working on cars, though. I didn’t think this was your thing.”

“It’s not. My uh…”

“...Your what?” 

He moved out from under the car and dusted himself off, looking around for the tools he needed to put the new muffler on, but Red wasn’t going to let it go. He was supposed to be prying, not talking. 

“Your what?”

“My boyfriend is better with cars,” he said plainly and grabbed what he needed before going back under the car. 

Red stayed sitting up, grinning at him. “You don’t have a boyfriend.”

“I actually do. Or did, I guess.”

“You didn’t and don’t. I’d know.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You saw your room.” Red shrugged. “I don’t think that was ever a thing. Heroin is messed up drug if it makes you think you have a boyfriend when you never did and don’t now.”

Kaiba didn’t say anything and put the new muffler on by himself in silence. This wasn’t going how he wanted it to at all. He had nothing he could say to that. He still wasn’t sure if Jou existed. He wasn’t sure if he existed. 

Red helped him up and moved around the car, climbing into the driver's seat. “So what’s this imaginary boyfriend of yours like?”

He started the car and Kaiba inspected it, making sure he did it right. Jou was better with this sort of thing. He talked with him for months about wanting to open a mechanics shop. He kept insisting that Kaiba would be good at it and they’d do great at the business together. He also said that he could work less and spend more time with him. Which was all true, and after looking into it for a year, he was going to bring it up to Jou again while they were on vacation. He thought it was a good idea. It would get him out of where he was, where Liam was; in a job that was sucking the life and soul out of him. He loved it, but he started seeing other things he could do. Other things he wanted to do with Jou that he couldn't before. Mokuba was old enough and brilliant enough to take the company where it needed to go. He wasn’t as crucial to it anymore. 

Red turned the car off and stared at him. “So this imaginary boyfriend works on cars?”

“Yes.”

“Does he have a name?”

“No.”

“No as in you won’t tell me or no as in you haven’t dreamed up one yet?”

“Both or neither.” Red smirked at him and that familiar feeling was back. “Have I met you before?”

Red laughed and got out of the car. “We’ve been over this. We grew up together.”

“No I mean aside from that.”

“How is there anything aside from that?”

Kaiba scoffed and walked into the house. He was thirsty and hot and needed a break; from Red if nothing else. Pouring himself some lemonade, he stared at the stove again. He still didn’t want to mess with it, but it was useless where it sat. Maybe he should disconnect it and take it out to be scrapped. 

Red walked into the kitchen and leaned on the counter. “Why are you trying to fix everything?”

“It’s what I do.”

“I don’t think it is.”

Kaiba looked up at him, but he wasn’t smirking or smiling. He genuinely appeared concerned and that made him mad. “Who are you to tell me what I do and what I don’t do?”

Red sighed, “You’re right. Nothing you’re doing makes any sense to me.”

“Good.”

He thought he was off the hook with that, but walking into the living room, he realized Red was just started. “So this imaginary boyfriend of yours, is he a brunette like the girl in the poster?”

“No.”

Red pushed himself up on the counter and swung his feet, hitting the cabinets below. “So what color hair does he have?”

“Purple.”

“Really?”

“No.”

Red laughed and shook his head. “Mine has multi colored hair.”

Kaiba stopped mid drink to frown at him. “Is that where you’re always running off to?”

“No. I plan my appointments around helping you out. Some run really close to the time we finish up a project.”

“So where is he?”

“He lives in a different state. I talk to him online.”

Red didn’t look up and he had the feeling he was lying, but not knowing Red well enough, he didn’t want to bank on it. So he let it go. He left shortly after that, claiming he had somewhere to be, but Kaiba didn’t believe him. 


	3. Chapter 3

Sitting at the folding table, filling out yet another application, Kaiba heard Liam sigh. He looked up from his papers and noticed he took his glasses off to rub his eyes. “This is useless.”

He looked back down at his application and wrote more on it. “What are you working on?”

“Plans for a wind and solar powered engine.” 

Kaiba perked up at that. “Did you finally get that engineering job you wanted?”

Liam scoffed, “Yeah right... Want to know a secret? You’re going to find out next month anyway when your mother does.” 

He turned the computer around and showed Kaiba an email. “You were laid off?” He frowned at it reading through it. “Last month…”

“Yeah. When it rains, it pours.”

“And Sylia doesn’t know?”

He shook his head. “I have enough sabbatical to cover till next month. Then I have to tell her.” He took a deep, shaky breath. “We’re going to lose the house.”

He read the email again then looked up at Liam resting his face in his hands and his elbows on the table. Without him looking, he clicked over to the plans he’d drawn up on the computer for the engine and read through them. He frowned at it, not because they were bad, but they were good. Really good. This would actually work. 

He laughed; light at first then deep in his chest. This plan would fix the jet. If he had these, he’d still be alive, in his own body with Jou and Mokuba. He’d be in the fucking Bahama’s like he should be. Not sitting here, at a folding table, contemplating working at a fast food restaurant because he needed out. 

Liam looked up and saw he was looking at the plans, he started to grab the computer back but Kaiba moved it out of his reach. “You know this would work, don’t you? This isn’t useless at all. Hell I’d pay you millions for this plan.”

“Thanks son. That means a lot.”

Kaiba started to argue with him but just waved him off, grinning as he looked over the plan. He saw where Liam hit a dead end, but he’d built this kind of engine before. He knew the one part that Liam wouldn’t have known being out of the industry for a while. “Let me finish this.”

“You can’t finish it, Corbin.” He slammed the laptop shut and pulled it away, putting it in his laptop bag. “You’d need a masters in engineering to even read the plans. It looks great on the computer, but it’s a completely different story in real life. If I have anything even slightly off, the whole thing is worthless.”

Kaiba grit his teeth and glared at him. “All of you  _ really _ like telling me what I can’t do, don’t you?”

Liam’s expression and body language completely changed. He scowled at Kaiba and leaned over the table. His tone of voice and the way he stared him down made him feel, for the first time, that Liam was a father; not just some guy working and living in the house. “No one in the world thinks you can do anything you set your mind to, more than I do.” He pointed to the dishwasher. “I’ve looked at that damn dishwasher 8 different times, and it still wouldn't work. You come in here and have it up and running in an hour. And it’s not just since you got back. You’ve always had it in you to do that and so much more. You are what inspired me to work on these plans in the first place.”

Kaiba decided he liked Liam better not being a father. He’d gone through too much to be talked to like this now. It was a little too late. He didn’t remember anything that he was talking about, and even if he did, he probably wouldn't feel any differently about it. He sat up a little straighter, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared daggers right back at him. “How the hell would I inspire you to make that when it’s pretty clear I don’t give a damn about anything and anyone in this house?”

Liam seemed to age right before his eyes. He sighed and leaned back in the metal folding chair, reaching for his glasses. He tapped them on the table, glaring at nothing, then started talking. “When you were 8, I worked on a project to create a small part of a rocket. The way you went on about it to anyone who you could talk to, I invented rockets. I built them and I was the king of all outer space.” He laughed, putting his glasses back on. “You came home with a black eye and the biggest grin I’ve ever seen on you in my life, telling me some kid at school said that he was a liar and you beat the shit out of that poor kid.”

Kaiba smirked and Liam laughed again.

“I started these plans a few weeks later when they canceled the rocket project and laid me off. You thought I was the coolest, smartest, best dad in the universe, and you were willing to beat someone up who said otherwise. I kept working on these plans because as the years passed... I proved I wasn’t. I let you down, and this is my way of making it up.”

“You're not the-” Kaiba sighed, hating taking credit for that dumbass's bad life choices. “I can make my own choices. I have to live with them.”

“Yes. You can and you do, but when I’m not here and your mother’s not here to help guide you, it’s not just your fault, it’s ours too.”

“That’s not how it works.”

He snickered, “That’s refreshing. You felt the complete opposite three years ago.”

Kaiba watched him snicker and laugh, frowning at him. “I don't understand why any of this happened." 

Liam's laughter faded. "What do you mean?"

"Why put yourselves through this? You could've moved and got the job you wanted. It would’ve been better for both of you. Exponentially better. Why didn’t you?”

“We couldn't move. You were in a coma. We couldn't leave you."

"But why not?" Kaiba shook his head, choosing to glare at his application. "All I did was destroy this place, bleed money out of you, and take every opportunity you have away from you. The only reason you and Sylia live like this is because of me. Why?"

Liam smiled the most genuine, proud and loving smile he'd ever seen on him before. "You’re our son. Family sticks together, even through tough times. We might not like it, and it's really difficult, but we do it together.”

Kaiba scoffed, refocusing on his application, “I could write a book about how that’s not true.” Liam looked offended, and he sighed, throwing his pen down on the table. “I’m talking about... other families I've seen. They don’t do that.”

“Yeah. It’s sad, isn’t it?”

“It’s life.”

“Not for you.”

Kaiba stared at him, trying to process what he was saying. He was right, to a point. Sylia and Liam were there for Corbin; every step of the way, as a family, exactly like he’d said, but they weren’t there for _ him _ . Kaiba’s family wasn’t there for him. Once they got what they wanted out of him, they turned their back. So he didn’t have a lot of faith in this one either. Life was cruel, he decided. Corbin, who was a worthless piece of shit, took advantage of having a family that supported him, no matter what, while he did everything he could to fight for support he never got. Mokuba was a little bit of an exception. He supported him as best he could, needing the support himself. 

“Not anymore.”

Liam seemed to be delighted by that response. He stood up from the table, grabbing Kaiba’s application, and tore it up. “It’s time for bed.” 

\----

He waited a few days, making sure to time it perfectly. When Liam fell asleep on the couch, he snuck into his bag and grabbed his laptop. He might not believe he had a degree in engineering, and truthfully he didn’t, but he taught himself how to do it. He built it, planned it and tested it with his own two hands. This was something he could do, even if they didn’t know he could. 

He snuck the laptop into his room and opened it, pulling up the plans and getting the notebook beside his bed ready. He sat on the floor and started working on it when his bedroom door opened up. He looked up, thinking he’d been caught, but it was just Red. “Get in and shut the door, or get out.”

“Hello to you too.” Red crossed the room and laid on his bed, looking at the laptop with a smile. Then his smile disappeared. “Isn’t that your dad’s?”

“Yes.”

“Does he know you have it?”

“No.”

Red tilted his head to the side, watching him work on the plans. “That’s not a computer program.”

“No, it’s the plans for an engine. It’s what I needed.”

Red looked up at him, quirking his eyebrow. “What you needed?”

“Yes, for my imaginary boyfriend.”

Red laughed but otherwise let him work. He brought a book with him, it looked like, and he laid on the bed reading it. At first he was too excited about working on the plans to notice that being strange, but the longer he stayed there, the more Kaiba kept looking over at him. “What are you reading?”

“Game strategies.”

“For what game?”

“Duel Monsters.”

Kaiba stopped working and looked over at him. He was actually reading a book about that? “Do you play?”

“Sometimes.”

“Any good?”

Red looked up from the book and smirked. “No. My boyfriend wins every game we play.”

“Is he the only one you play against?”

“Yes. He loves the game and it’s something we can do together. So,” he trailed off, looking back down at the book. 

Kaiba still felt like he was lying, still didn’t know him well enough to call him out, and still wasn’t sure what he was even lying about. He could just feel it, in the tone of his voice. So he turned to look back at the laptop and continued working in silence for a while, until he heard Red hum, “Have you ever played?”

“A few times.”

“When you’re not doing heroin, an imaginary boyfriend or stealing your dad’s laptop to work on engine plans you’ve never seen or touched before in your life?”

Kaiba laughed; really heartily laughed. It sounded so terrible when he said it as nonchalantly as he did. When he finally caught his breath, he shook his head and continued working on the plans. He was just finished when the door to the bed room opened. He looked up at Liam and grinned. “I finished it.”

“What did you do?!” He raced in and snatched up the laptop, then bolted out of the room.

“I think I’m going to go now…” Red murmured, getting up from the bed. 

Kaiba held his hand out to stop Red from getting up, a grin permanently plastered to his face. Red couldn’t leave just yet. He didn’t get a good amount of gloating in. “Don’t worry about it. He’s going to be mad until he sees I fixed it.”

“You didn’t fix it, Corbin.”

From the next room came an inhuman shriek and then almost maniacal laughter. Kaiba’s grin widened and he lifted his chin slightly. “I fixed it.”

\------

Kaiba missed the feel of a suit. He missed how they fit, how powerful he felt in one, and how they made almost anyone look 10x better. Jou had to be the only exception. It wasn’t the suit that made him look more enticing, it was how he was itching to get out of it. He snickered to himself, remembering the last time he made Jou wear a suit to some company meeting he couldn’t remember. All he could remember about that day was Jou slowly but gradually getting out of the suit. It started with the tie, then moved to the buttons on his shirt, then his jacket, then the shoes and his belt. By the time the day ended, he remembered Jou sprawled out on the hotel bed in absolutely nothing, because, he claimed, after being strangled to death all day even boxers were too constricting. 

That memory hurt, and staring into the mirror at someone else’s face made it all the more real that he’d never get to see him trying to get out of a suit again. He straightened his cuffs and walked away from the mirror, determined not to let that ruin his day. After a month of preparations, he and Liam were going to offer up his patented plans for sale. Lucky for Liam, he knew exactly- to the penny- how much they were worth, and he wasn't going to settle for a dime less.  They used all of their money to fly to New York to meet with a man that Kaiba knew would buy the plans without bullshitting them.

Liam asked him where he should go to sell them, much to his surprise, and the first person that popped into his mind was Rupert Donnovan; a portly businessman in New York City. Kaiba did business with him before, especially on Jet plans. But he still wasn't sure anyone from his life before existed. So when he found the website to Rupert’s company online, stating he was very much real and alive, it gave him the extra push to try and find his old life one more time. While Liam wasn’t looking, he tried to research himself and Kaiba Corporation. After 3 hours of obnoxious browser searching,he came up empty handed. It was like he never existed. That being said, he saw something about an obituary for a ‘Mr. Kaiba’ but he didn’t get a chance to look into that further. Liam started asking him what he was doing.

When they stepped into Rupert Donnovan’s meeting room, he took a deep breath; both to calm his nerves and to remember. To remember the days when he stepped in this room and he didn’t feel nervous at all. He sat beside Liam, watching him in silence just like Rupert, sitting across the room. He smiled at how well Liam presented the plans, doing everything they’d talked about for the last month. When he finished, Rupert clapped and beamed. Kaiba knew that meant he was ready to buy it. Liam could have named a crazy amount if he wanted to and no matter what, he was going to get his hands on it. 

“So, now we need to talk money. How much do you want for it?”

Kaiba answered for Liam, surprising them both. He’d originally told Liam a lower amount, in case Rupert didn’t jump like he did. He had to correct that. Rupert walked around the table over to Kaiba and smiled almost mournfully at him.  “I like you kid. You remind me of a businessman I knew. He’d come in here and tell me exactly, penny for penny, what his projects were worth to me and what he wanted to sell them for. So I can't take that deal. He’d come back from the grave and strangle me.” He laughed and wheezed. “If you want top dollar, you should sell this directly to Kaiba Corporation. They’re gobbling up every jet engine plan they can get a hold of to fix the catastrophe that happened a couple of years ago.”

Kaiba stared at him completely dumbfounded. “Wh-what?”

He nodded. “Seto was a good man. Good kid. Hate seeing the good ones go so young. Meanwhile I'm still kickin’. Mokuba’s givin’ him a run for his money though.” He laughed and wheezed again, walking around to his chair. “He’s a tough little egg to crack.”

Liam cleared his throat and frowned at Kaiba. “Where is Kaiba Corporation?”

“Domino City, Japan,” he breathed, still floored by what Rupert said.

Liam gave him a look like that was impossible, but he didn’t get a chance to ease his concerns about it. Rupert pushed a button on his table and a screen dropped down from the ceiling. He pushed more buttons and before his eyes, a live video feed of Mokuba came on. He looked older, haircut a little shorter than what he remembered, but content. Maybe even happy.  Overwhelmed with all the emotions he’d shoved down, all the reasons he kept working on everything he could get his hands on; Kaiba grit his teeth together so hard his jaw hurt. He was so proud, and relieved and so happy to see Mokuba thriving. But his entire being sank from his carefree half smile and the fact that Rupert got him on the phone in a matter of seconds, while he’s been trying for months.

When Mokuba saw Rupert, a glint of mischief shone in his eyes and he smirked. “Rupert Donnovan. I haven’t seen your worthless mug in years! What brings you out of the woodwork?”

“I heard some good money could be made buying and selling energy efficient self sustaining jet engines. Also heard  _ you _ were looking for that, personally.”

Mokuba quirked his eyebrow, still smirking. “You heard that right.”

“Well,” He gestured towards Liam and Kaiba, with a proud grin. “I have a Mr. Liam Anderson and his son Mr. Corbin Anderson, with plans for a solar and wind powered jet engine, but more importantly, these plans correct Seto’s engine plans,  _ exactly _ like you’re looking for.”

Mokuba narrowed his eyes, but Kaiba could tell he was relieved. “How much?”

“Well,” Rupert turned to Kaiba and grinned, “How much were you wanting again?”

Kaiba gave the amount again, staring at Mokuba. 

Mokuba nodded, but even he thought that amount was too low. What was Kaiba Corporation doing trying to buy plans? Why was Mokuba looking for the plans? And why pay so much more than they were worth? It didn't make sense. Mokuba shot out a higher number and looked at Rupert, almost like that was too much money. Rupert laughed, over bidding Mokuba. “You’re going to have to do better than that, kid. I’m going to make a ton off you if I get a hold of these plans first.”

“Not going to happen.”

They kept out bidding each other until the number Kaiba had said, doubled. Then Mokuba made a final offer. Liam practically fell down in his chair, staring at them both in a complete daze. But Kaiba was still trying to figure out why either of them were willing to waste the money. It wasn’t like them. Rupert grinned at Mokuba’s final offer and defiant glare and leaned back. He said the same amount as Mokuba, but 24 cents more. 

Mokuba started laughing and shook his head. “I’m out.”

“Well, Mr. Anderson, what do you say to that amount?” 

Liam couldn’t talk. He tried, but nothing came out so he just nodded his head. 24 cents? What was going on? Rupert turned to Mokuba and grinned. “So,  _ Mr. Kaiba _ , I have newly acquired some plans for solar and wind powered jet engine. Hear tell you’re interested.”

Mokuba’s laughter sank into Kaiba’s bones. Then Rupert gave Mokuba the amount of money he wanted, the same amount, just a penny more. Mokuba smirked. “Would you like that penny as a check or cash?”

“Check of course! You never know, an actual penny might fall out and sink to the bottom of the ocean on it’s way here.” 

Then he remembered. One of the very first contracts he made with Rupert, they had a similar bidding war that resulted in him owing Kaiba whatever amount they agreed on and the change because that’s what it was worth, and he fought him for the change. Rupert wired him the money, but mailed him a small bag of pennies over the course of 6 months for the 25 cents and a letter telling him to convert it to Yen ‘his-damn-self’. 

Mokuba’s laughter faded as he turned to Liam. “Congratulations Mr. Anderson. I hope to see more plans from you in the future. Just call me first. Don’t call this guy.” Rupert laughed and Mokuba gave them a warm smile. “I wish I had these before I lost my big brother, but you can’t change the past. He’d want you to have this money. It’s a lot more than it’s worth, but it fixed something he didn’t and he always thought whatever he did was worth twice as much as everyone else.”

Rupert and Mokuba laughed, even Liam snickered, but Kaiba just stared at Mokuba; his mind in a complete haze. He did this (the bidding war, the amount, and the hunt for the plans) all for him? In memory of him? And Rupert stopped a business deal, where he could have doubled his money, to aid in keeping his memory alive and giving Mokuba some peace? Kaiba honestly didn’t know he cared, especially that much. He was glad he called him. This wouldn’t have gone nearly as well with anyone else. 

They finalized the deal and signed a lot of paperwork that Kaiba insisted he read thoroughly. Rupert and Mokuba happily gave him all the time he needed, smiling at him with mournful fondness. When everything was said and done, Mokuba bowed his head quickly. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr Anderson, and Mr. Anderson. Even you Rupert.”

“You don’t need to butter me up, I’m expecting that check within the week.”

Mokuba started to laugh, then shifted and looked off the camera. “Jou?! I’m in the middle of a meeting!”

He could hear Jou’s voice, but he couldn’t hear what he was saying. And that was his breaking point. He got up from the chair, forced a polite smile and nodded towards Rupert. He made a quick comment about needing fresh air to Liam before exiting the room. He needed a drink, needed to break something, needed to fix something, needed to punch Jou in the face for not being there with him and needed to shove Mokuba out of his place.  _ It was his place _ . 

\---

Outside the building, he leaned against the stone wall under the faded black awning. The rain poured, giving the passing pedestrians with bouncing umbrellas a hazy aura. Watching them walk by, he tried to figure out why he was so mad. Mokuba took his place in the company, just like he wanted. He was thriving at it, just like Kaiba always knew he could. Jou wasn’t imaginary. Mokuba wasn’t imaginary. Home wasn’t imaginary. All of that should make him elated, but seeing the acceptance in Mokuba’s eyes made him second guess whether he even had that anymore. He wasn’t himself, and years had apparently passed. What if they moved on without him? It seemed like Mokuba had. He was able to smile, talking about it. He might not be passed it, but he was on his way with it. What if Jou was too? What if he was with someone else and long past him? 

Kaiba realized he was terrified to go home and find out he didn’t have a home to go to anymore. 

Liam stepped out of the rotating doors and searched around for him. When he did finally see him, he walked over. “I thought you’d be on cloud 9.”

“I am. I really am.”

“So,” Liam said, taking a deep breath of the musky October air, “Where’s your favorite restaurant in The NYC?”

He looked up at Liam, feeling the corners of his mouth curl. “No one calls it that.”

Liam laughed and walked into the rain to hail a cab. When one stopped, Kaiba pushed off the wall and ran through the rain, climbing into it. Once inside he swept his soaked hair back and leaned on the headrest. Liam shook off some of the rain and then looked at him. “You’re probably hungry. What do you want to eat?”

“Steak.”

“Again, where’s your favorite place?”

“I’ve never been here, remember?”

“Yeah, you already proved me wrong there. Where is it? I know you have one.”

“Sparks Steak House.”

Liam instructed the cab driver to go to the steak house and they sat silently in the cab until arriving at the restaurant. They had to wait a while to get food, but Kaiba kept reassuring him it was worth it. Though, to be fair, he never had to wait before. When they were finally seated, he smirked at Liam’s steadily growing excitement. He hadn’t said a single thing about the food, hadn’t given a single hint as to what the experience would be like, but Liam was practically dancing in the dining chair. 

“Residual excitement from being an instant millionaire?” Kaiba commented, staring down at the menu. He already knew what he wanted but he liked to look over their new specials. 

“I’m excited about this food. This is your favorite place. If it’s anything like you getting your haircut or fixing the house, this will be hands down the best meal I’ll ever have.”

Kaiba snickered. “So, what happened after I left?”

“Whoever ‘Jou’ was, had something to talk to Mr. Kaiba about. Some kind of scheduling thing for their tournament.” Liam smiled. “Then Mr. Kaiba came back. He had Mr. Donnovan give me his personal cell number. They talked about how, after his brother died, he had to get a new number because someone was calling him about selling the company and harassing him. Apparently whoever it was went after his close family and friends as well. All of them changed numbers.”

Kaiba raised his brow and crossed his arms over his chest. The only close family and friends he had was Mokuba and Jou, but it sounded like they weren’t the only ones. He wondered if he meant Yuugi. “Did he say who?”

“No he didn’t, and even if he did, I wouldn't remember. What’s also crazy was how Mr. Kaiba told me not to bother trying to find his number or anything about Kaiba Corporation online. He has a new project for us to do, together." Liam smiled. "He said he’d email me information on the company and everything else. Whoever it was going after him, hacked into every website or online presence the company had, trying to put it under.”

Kaiba stared at him, not really knowing what to say. He felt terrible for leaving Mokuba into that. It never should have happened, but he was also happy that he still had some connection with Mokuba. They had a new project to work on. The waiter approached their table, interrupting the conversation and saving Kaiba from having to make some comment about what Liam had just said. Liam ordered a safe but delicious meal; simply and quickly. Then the waiter turned to him. He was so lost in thought about who could be going after the company with him gone that he wasn't thinking through what he was saying until it was too late. He rattled off his usual order, like he planed, but then asked him if his sister still worked there. She owed him a piece of cake. The waiter looked completely shocked, and he felt like an idiot. He wasn’t sitting at his usual table, ordering his usual things as himself. He was Corbin, sitting with everyone else and probably just gave the waiter a heart attack saying his order and referencing something he shouldn’t have known about; the cake. 

“I beg your pardon?”

“...”

Liam burst into laughter, making both the waiter and him flinch. “I keep telling him no one else in the world is that picky. See look? The guy can’t even deal with you right now.”

The waiter finally smiled, instantly relaxing. “I had a regular who ordered that same way. Haven’t seen him in years though.” Then he nudged Liam’s shoulder lightly with his elbow, whispering, “Can’t say I miss him.”

Kaiba glared at him and sat up straighter making Liam laugh harder. The waiter patted him on the back and walked away. When Liam stopped laughing, he put his elbows on the table and covered his mouth. He stared at him, smiling, not from the waiter’s comment but from something else. “Oh my god.” He took a deep breath and shook his head slowly. “I can’t believe I’m saying this… you’re not Corbin.”

He felt guilty shaking his head.

“Who are you then?”

“Kaiba, Seto.”

Liam quirked his eyebrow, lowering his hands from his mouth to point his thumb behind him. “You mean the dead guy whose brother we just sold plans too?”

He nodded.

“Well… I mean. Wow... How… How is that even possible?”

“I have no idea.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“I tried. Most people who go around claiming they are someone they aren’t get thrown into padded rooms,” he said, reaching for his water goblet.

“That’s true. We probably would’ve had you see a shrink and give you medicine for no reason. That’s… unsettling.”

He took a drink, then set it back down; sliding his thumb over the base of the water goblet. It was. Liam stayed silent for a moment and when Kaiba looked up, he realized he was smiling at him. “What?”

“I’ve waited over 10 years to get my son back, and I thought I did. Turns out, you’re someone else’s son.”

“I’m no one’s son,” he said, staring at his morphed reflection in the glass. “My parents died along time ago.”

“Is that why you think families don’t work the way ours does?”

“I don’t ‘think’, I know they don’t.” 

“You and your brother turned out fine.”

“Our waiter isn’t the only one who hated me,” he said, before taking another drink. “I’m not sure ‘fine’ is the right word.”

Liam snickered, “We didn’t turn out so great either.”

“I wouldn’t say that. Everything’s worse before it gets better. You’re a self made millionaire now with prospects in your field and Sylia thinks she has her son back. I think that’s doing pretty well.”

“What about you? Are you going back?”

Kaiba frowned down at the water goblet in his hand and then shook his head. “It’s too late for that.”

Liam sighed, and started to say something when the waiter brought over their food. He set Kaiba’s plate down and smiled. “My sister insisted I get you that slice of cake. I’ll bring it out after your meal.”

Kaiba nodded to him and watched him walk away. When he looked down at his food, he smiled. They made it exactly how they did before, including the things they added that he didn’t order. Liam leaned over the table and looked at his plate too. “They might hate your guts, but you left a lasting impression here.”

“Seems I did.”

“I know you feel like it’s too late to go back,” he murmured, sitting back in his chair and returning his focus to his own steak, “but if you left this much of an impression on someone who hated you, I can’t imagine how the ones who love you must be feeling.”

Kaiba stared at his plate, completely losing his appetite. What if that were true? 


	4. Chapter 4

Sylia met them at the door when they returned from the trip, and asked a million questions. Liam didn’t answer a single one. He just picked her up, spun her around, and hugged her as tight as he could. Kaiba looked around, expecting Red to be there too. But he wasn’t. 

That night, Liam ordered a new stove and microwave. He took Sylia and him out to dinner, and told her the whole story about the meeting with Mokuba. He told her about the jet crash and how he’d offered him a job and she was sobbing by the end. Kaiba wondered why he didn’t tell her who he was. Maybe it was more merciful for her. 

When they came back, he asked Sylia for Red’s phone number and called him. Someone else picked up the phone. “Who is this?”

He frowned. Red didn’t mention living with anyone else. “...I’m looking for Red.”

“He’s busy. Who is this?”

“Corbin.” The line went dead. 

That was strange. 

He stayed up late with Liam working on the new project. Sylia made them coffee and stayed up with them. It was almost two before they all turned in. Kaiba laid on the mattress staring up at the ceiling thinking about what Liam had said at the restaurant. Did he make enough of an impression on Jou that he’d even want him back? Even if he looked completely different, and maybe even felt different. 

He tried to think of how he’d react if their roles were reversed. He’d fight every step of the way; go through extravagant lengths to figure out who he actually was, probably try to kill him (if he were honest about it) and definitely not pause to entertain anything he had to say from that point on. Those were impossible odds to overcome, but then again, he felt that way just before he started dating Jou too. If he went back in time and told his previous self he’d be with Jou (in any capacity), he’d probably shoot himself for slander. 

That thought made him smile and he rolled over, closing his eyes. The phone buzzing on the floor startled him and he picked it up. Who would call at 2 in the morning? “Hello?”

He heard a relieved sigh on the phone and then a soft whisper, “Corbin, I need you to do me a favor.”

“Well look who’s still alive.” He smirked. “I tried calling you earlier. Who the hell was that who answered?”

Red didn’t say anything. So Kaiba moved the phone away from his ear to make sure it was still connected. When he brought it back to his ear, he heard Red whisper again, “I need you to come get me.”

Kaiba frowned and sat up. “Is this a ‘come quick and don’t ask questions’ or your drunk somewhere and need a ride?”

“First one. I’m at home.”

Kaiba didn’t get a chance to ask him where that was. He’d already hung up. He left his room and walked into the dark living room. He had no idea where Red lived, but he assumed Liam and Sylia knew. He felt bad waking them up after they’d just laid down, but he wasn’t about to leave not knowing where he was going. He knocked on their door and waited.

Sylia grumbled something, then opened the door. “Something wrong, honey?”

“Red called and needs me to pick him up. Where does he live?”

She frowned at him. It looked like she was trying to process what he was saying until she shook her head. She handed him her cell phone and pulled up his address in a map app. “Is he alright?”

Kaiba scoffed, “I have no idea.”

She wrapped her arms around herself and smiled sleepily at him. “I’ll wait up for you.”

He nodded and walked away, grabbing the keys off the folding table as he went. He drove to the address, an apartment complex in the next town over. It looked peaceful and vacant, being almost 3 in the morning, that’s what it should look like. He parked the car and walked over a wooden boardwalk. The chill in the air made him wrap his jacket around him tighter. At least it wasn’t raining too.

Down the stairs and to the left, he stood face to face with Red’s door. He started to knock on it, when it flew open. Kaiba almost jumped back out of shock. The guy in the doorway wasn’t Red, and he’d never seen him before in his life. He started to say ‘who the hell are you’ but this guy very obviously knew him. “Get the hell out of here Corbin.”

“Where’s Red?”

He started to shut the door, but Kaiba blocked it. He still didn’t know what was going on with Red, and the longer he didn’t know, the more on edge he was. The sooner he picked him up, the better. He shoved the door back into the guy and stood in the doorway to keep him from trying to shut it again. Kaiba briefly looked him over; tall, athletic, dark green hair, cut and spiked in a way only an idiot would have and dark almost black eyes. This guy gave off an aura of creepy and maybe even dangerous, but he wasn’t sure if that was his nerves or the reality. “I’m here to get Red, and I’m going to do that whether I need to go through you or not.”

“He’s not going anywhere with you.”

As if on que, Red stormed into the room and shoved him out of the way. He ended up shoving Kaiba back too, trying to get through. The guy grabbed Red’s wrist, spinning him around. He stood a little too close to Red to just be a friend. Kaiba wondered if Red called him over here to pick him up from a fight with his boyfriend, but he didn’t have multi colored hair…

“Where the hell are you going?”

“With Corbin. What does it look like?”

“Why are you being such a bitch about everything?”

Red wrenched his arm out of his grip and glared at him. “I quit Danny! I’m moving and I don’t give a damn what you do with anything left in there anymore. Don’t ever touch me or talk to me again!”

He made it a few steps outside of the apartment before Danny grabbed him again. “What’s Corbin going to do for you that I can’t?”

“Get me away from you.”

Danny grinned at him and laughed, letting him go. “You’ll be back. He isn’t going to want you anymore anyway.”

Kaiba stared wide eyed when Red pulled back and sucker punched him in the jaw hard; sending him toppling back into the door. He was so stunned that Red did that, he didn’t register him walk past him towards the Lincoln. 

Exhaling through his nose, Kaiba then followed Red to the car and unlocked it. They both climbed in, just as Danny came running up shouting and holding his jaw. Kaiba started the car and backed up, flooring it out of the parking lot to not have to deal with anymore of that guy. He could see him in the cracked rear view mirror continuing to shout about something as they drove away. 

When they got on the highway, Kaiba glanced over at Red. He sat in the passenger seat; leaning on his elbow against the door with his knuckles against the glass, staring out the window. He had a duffel bag in his lap and a tackle box at his feet. He didn’t look hurt, from what Kaiba could see glancing at him every now and then, but that didn’t mean anything. The only sound in the car was the rumble of the engine and periodic bumps from the road. At least it was dark and he didn’t have to see dried up corn fields.

“Sorry for bothering you,” Red muttered, not moving.

Kaiba glanced at him again, then stared out the windshield, trying to remember which exit it was he needed to get off at. “I was up anyway.”

Red didn’t say anything else for a while. When he got off the highway to head back through town, Kaiba found himself asking a question even when he said he wouldn’t. “Are you alright?”

“My hand hurts.”

Kaiba snickered, “I’m sure it does. You hit him pretty hard.”

“Not hard enough.”

“Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“No,” he said, sitting up straight and flexing his hand. “It’s fine.”

That wasn’t entirely what he was asking, but close enough, he supposed. The rest of the drive continued in silence until he pulled into the driveway. Shutting the car off, he looked over at Red. He figured he’d collect his things and storm into the house, but he didn’t move. Was this not where he wanted to go?

“How did your meeting go?” Red murmured, staring at the garage door.

“Perfect.”

“So you’re millionaires now?”

“Something like that.”

“Are you moving?”

Kaiba frowned at him. “Why would you think we were moving?”

Red turned to look at him with a completely unenthused frown. “Why the hell would you want to stay here?”

Kaiba started to consider that question honestly, but it was pointless. Why would anyone want to stay here? “I don’t.”

“So. Why stay?”

“It’s not my money. I go where they go and I’m pretty sure they are staying here. I can’t leave, at least until _ I _ get enough money to.”

Red nodded, then looked at the garage door again. “If you leave, can I go with you?”

Kaiba was caught off guard with that question. One because he almost said sure, and two because he still didn’t know anything about Red. Red didn’t know anything about him. Why he seemed to trust him so much, didn’t make any sense. Kaiba turned to stare at the dark garage door too, glaring at it. 

“Are you thinking about it or are you trying to think of a way to say no?” Red asked, making him grin.

“I can very easily say no. I do it all the time.”

“So what's the problem?”

“The problem is I just drove over to your apartment to pick you up at 3 in the morning, saw you punch some guy I never knew existed, and now you’re asking me if you can go with me wherever it is I decide to go whenever that happens to be. Why? I don’t know anything about you.”

“You know I’m a makeup artist and a childhood friend,” Red insisted, turning to look at him. “You know I am at least half useful helping you.”

Kaiba scoffed.

“I am. And you also know I have nowhere to live and no job now.”

“You said you owned a business.”

“I did.”

“You can’t quit a job you own.”

“You can when someone you trusted screwed you over.” Red sighed, adjusting the duffel bag on his lap to unbuckle, “I used all of my money to start up that business, ate nothing but ramen for a year probably more like two to keep it running. Then that asshole, who was supposed to be my friend, offered to partner up with me. I don’t even know how it happened, but somewhere I signed something that ended up giving him complete ownership.”

“Were you dating that guy?”

“No,” Red growled, glaring him down like Kaiba had insulted him by asking that, “And I’m really fucking tired of everyone assuming that.”

“I’m not assuming anything.”

“Yeah well, he did,” Red muttered, opening the car door and grabbing his things.

Kaiba watched him climb out of the car and start walking to the front door, adjusting the strap of the duffel bag on his shoulder. He sighed, getting out of the car as well. He saw Sylia welcoming Red into the house and leaned on the side of the car. He was lost in thought, standing there in the dark when the front door opened again. Liam walked out and smiled at him. He looked back in the house, then shut the door, walking over to him. 

“I have Red camped out on the sofa. Did you guys get into a fight or something?”

“I don’t know.”

“Does he know you’re not-”

“I don’t know.”

Liam leaned on the car next to him and looked up at the stars. “You don’t need to tell me what happened or even talk to Red about it if you don’t want to, but you should probably try to get some sleep.”

Kaiba nodded. He was right, but he was still on edge. Liam gently nudged his arm with his elbow and stood up. Kaiba sighed and reluctantly followed him back into the house. It was dark and Red looked to be asleep. He walked past him and into his room, shutting the door behind him. He climbed into bed and closed his eyes. 

After tossing and turning for a while, he groaned, staring up at the ceiling. It wasn’t that he felt on edge, he decided, it was that he was upset. But why he was upset and maybe even angry, he just couldn’t figure out. It felt like everyone he talked to here was falling apart. The house, ‘his’ family, Red. So far, he worked on fixing things that directly involved him. He couldn’t get a good job, so getting Liam one was his top priority. He couldn’t move, so fixing this dump was also a top priority. Red’s situation wasn’t in the realm of involving him in any way. Why did he feel like he should help him? Why was he furious that he went through what he did, as if it were Mokuba or Jou or even Yuugi going through it?

He finally fell asleep, when the sunlight glowed through his window.

\----

Two days later, Red still wasn’t talking to him. It was childish and it pissed him off. He wasn’t talking to him either, but that was besides the point. Sylia had a friend bring over their broken down SUV to try and get it running again. Kaiba was probably a little too happy to get something to work on. He needed the distraction. That being said, this SUV was a piece of shit and almost as shot as the oven and microwave. He leaned over the radiator and noticed yet another thing broken on it. The hose to the reservoir was dry rotted and probably leaked like a sieve. No wonder it overheated. He kept working on it, when he felt someone tap his shoulder. He looked up and saw Red frowning at him with a glass of tea in his hand. “Sylia asked me to bring you this.”

“Thanks. Just set it down anywhere.”

Red disappeared somewhere behind him and he went back to work. He thought he went in the house when he heard him sigh. Kaiba didn’t stop what he was doing, but looked over his shoulder at Red, standing next to him with his arms crossed over his chest. “Do you need any help?”

He thought about saying no. He didn’t NEED help, but if he was going to offer… “Yeah, sure.”

Red leaned over, shoulder to shoulder with him. “What do you need?”

“Hold this.”

Red did what he’d asked and he finally got the hose off. “Thanks.”

He gave him a weak smile then frowned again. 

Kaiba moved back from the car, looking down at his black hands and the disintegrating hose. “I have a list of parts to get. Coming with me?”

Red nodded, and actually smiled. He felt himself smile back and threw the hose on the ground with the rest of the junk parts he had to replace. He started to head into the house to let Sylia know but she was already in the doorway with keys. “You boys have fun.”

He took the keys from her hesitantly. “Why does it feel like you’re trying to get rid of me?”

“I would never want to get rid of you, honey,” she said smirking and now he was sure she was trying to get rid of him.

He humphed at her and turned away to head to the car. Red waved at her and followed him. “Do you want me to drive?”

“No.”

“Alright.”

They climbed into the car and drove off. The auto parts store was in the next town over where Red lived, or used to live anyway. He enjoyed going to it. The older man, named Jake, who worked there (and probably owned it) wasn’t a complete idiot. He knew Kaiba on a first name basis and greeted him every time he came in. He was the only one there that would give him the parts he asked for without giving him trouble. There was a chain auto store in the town as well, but he preferred that one. 

He looked over at Red, who leaned partly out of the open window. “Red.”

“Hmm?”

“Assuming I do leave here, why do you want to go with me?”

“Besides to get out of this place?” Red had a thoughtful look on his face and leaned his head to the side. “I trust you.”

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow at that and glanced over at him. The way he was looking at him sparked some kind of memory. Almost like he was talking to someone else instead of Red. Was it Yuugi? He was pretty sure he had a conversation like this with Yuugi before. He needed something...not money but help with something. Instead of going to Jou or any of his other friends he’d asked him for it. That was his reason, because he trusted him. Not that he didn’t trust his other friends, but whatever it was (that Kaiba couldn’t remember for the life of him) it was important to _ him _ to ask Kaiba not them. He didn’t understand Yuugi saying it any more than he understood it from Red. Especially not Yuugi. He never did anything to earn his trust. 

“You really shouldn’t.”

Red didn’t say anything. Instead he shifted in his seat and crossed his ankle over his knee. The wind blew his hair in his face for a moment and he brushed it to the side. Kaiba really felt like he knew him from somewhere when he did that. He kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, when Red turned to laugh at him. “What?”

“I know you from somewhere.” He muttered under his breath and rubbed his forehead. “Your name’s not Red.”

“It’s not, but you’ll never guess what it is.”

Kaiba scoffed, “I know that name, but that’s not it either.” He frowned, pulling into the auto shop parking lot. “I think it does start with an A. Or maybe not. I don’t fucking know.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sylia told me your actual name,” he said, parking the car and turning it off. 

“Really?”

“She said it was Aloysius.” 

Red grimaced. “Yeah that’s it.”

“No. It's not.”

The got out of the car and went into the shop. Red walked around while Kaiba got the parts from Jake. He paid for them and carried the boxes with him towards the door. Red followed him out to the car with a strange smile. “Find something you wanted in there?” Kaiba asked shutting the car door.

Red buckled up and shook his head. “No. I just think it’s great that you think you remember me but don’t remember your own parents.”

That wasn’t it either, but how could he explain? So Kaiba just ignored him. The drive back, Red talked to him about some of his clients calling him asking for him to still do their make up even though he wasn’t working for the salon anymore. He was really proud they hunted him down anyway, and he should be.

When they pulled into the driveway, Red was deep into a story about one wedding he did the make up for being an absolute disaster. They got out of the car and set the parts down by the SUV when Sylia came out of the house beaming. “Corbin, honey, can you come help me with something?”

“Did the dishwasher break?”

She laughed and shook her head. “No, just come on.”

He looked over at Red who shrugged his shoulders. They followed her into the house when Kaiba noticed Liam smiling at him from the kitchen, exactly like Sylia. Kaiba frowned at both of them. Something was up. “What?”

“Go look in your room.” Sylia giggled and walked into the kitchen to pick up her coffee mug. “You too Red.”

He walked through the house to his bedroom and opened the door; Red right behind him. When he did, he blinked in surprise. They weren’t gone more than a half hour, but the room was filled with furniture. He had a new bed and a second bed was set up on the other side of the room with nightstands and new dressers beside them. He walked inside looking around at all the new things in the room and frowned. They didn’t even have a decent kitchen table, why were they buying bedroom furniture for him? Especially when Liam knew he wasn’t Corbin. He locked his jaw, staring down at the fluffy light blue comforter on the wooden twin bed. They didn’t need to do this. It was a waste of money.

“Do you like it?” Sylia asked with baited breath from somewhere behind him. 

He didn’t turn around to look at them, just kept glaring at the bed. He didn’t want it. Red plopped down on the other bed, humming in delight. “Wow! This is better than my old bed.” He laughed. “I paid a lot for that bed too.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

When Kaiba didn’t say anything for a while, he heard someone walking over to him. Liam leaned around him and put his hand on his shoulder. “Now you have something here too.”

“I don’t-” Kaiba grit his teeth and shook his head, still scowling at the bed. “This isn’t necessary.”

“Don’t be silly honey,” Sylia said, “You needed a new bed.”

Red rolled onto his elbow. “Normally when someone gets you something, you say ‘thank you.’”

Kaiba tried to think of how he could say to take it back without hurting their feelings, but he wasn’t getting anywhere. Liam squeezed his shoulder and walked out of his line of sight. “Red, can I talk to Corbin alone for a minute?”

Red took a deep breath and got out of the bed. “Yeah.” 

Kaiba watched him walk out of the room and immediately looked away from the hurt frown on Sylia’s face. She shut the door and he returned his scowl back to the bed. Liam didn’t say anything at first. He sat down on the bed looking up at him, waiting. Eventually Kaiba shook his head. “I don’t want this.”

“Not what you like?”

“No, it’s not that.”

Liam sighed and smiled. “Oh good. You had me worried for a minute there.”

“I can’t accept this. I don’t know how long I’ll be here. It’s a waste of money.”

Liam chuckled and looked around the room. He glanced back up at Kaiba and whispered, “You might not be here for long, Seto, but you still need a bed to sleep in that won’t give you back problems.”

“What about the dressers and the nightstand? Take them back.”

“Where are you going to put your clothes?”

“I... I don’t know. The floor.”

Liam laughed again. “You aren’t putting your clothes on the floor while Red has clothes in a dresser. That doesn’t make any sense.”

“He’s not going to be here long either.”

“_ We _ might not be here long,” he sighed and patted the bed for him to sit down.

He didn’t want to sit down. He didn’t want the bed. He didn’t want to deal with this in general, but he didn’t have much choice. He sat down and buried his face in his hands. He thought Liam was going to try and put his hand on his back or something. It was what he did for Corbin, but he didn’t. For whatever reason, he sat there in silence. Kaiba’s mind was reeling. He couldn’t stay, he was terrified to leave. This bed made that decision a lot more real and pressing. He wasn’t ready to deal with it yet.

Liam took a deep audible breath. “This wasn’t supposed to upset you or push you in any way. I know you’re dealing with a lot, and not getting decent sleep is a good way to go crazy.”

“This,” Kaiba said, sitting up and gesturing to himself, “is a good way to go crazy. I’m in a completely different country in someone else’s body with someone else’s family in someone else’s house. Now, I have a bed and a job and a roommate and the more I get here, the further from home and_ me _ I am.” He shook his head glaring at everything. “I don’t want any of it.”

“Do you want a plane ticket home?”

“...no,” he whispered and it hurt to say, but it was true, “I don’t have a home anymore.”

Liam nodded slowly, looking thoughtfully at the dresser across from them. “Sounds to me like you’re in a perfect place then.”

“What?”

“You have nothing. All you can have, from now on, is more.”

“I don’t want more. I want what I had and I can never have that again.”

Liam stayed silent for a while, and Kaiba wondered why he was still there. He wasn’t saying anything he didn't already know. Then he turned to him and smiled. “I think… I think you might be right, at least in part, about that. I’ve been thinking about it since we left that restaurant. Still best dinner I've ever had in my life, by the way.”

Kaiba snickered and shook his head, looking down at his shoes. 

“I agreed to get you these things knowing what I do because, after thinking about it, I realized you need time to grieve over your own life. You’re right. This is all someone else’s and all the things you had before are probably gone. I don’t know that I agree about the people in your life before being gone, but your job, your home, the lifestyle you led; it’s all gone.” Liam folded his hands in front of him, resting his elbows on his knees. “And that’s a huge loss for anyone. That takes time to accept, but your life hasn’t stopped, even with all those things being gone. It’s still going. You’re still moving and you’re still you. You’re just,” Liam paused and his expression twisted as if he were eating a lemon, “in a unique position to experience life a different way.”

Kaiba scoffed, “Yay me.”

Liam chuckled and nudged him. “Have you ever seen the movie Overboard?”

“What?”

“Overboard. With Goldie Hawn?”

“No.”

“I’ll get the movie for you to watch. It might make you feel better.”

“Someone die and take over someone else’s body?”

Liam laughed. “Actually no.”

“Then I don’t see how that pertains to this.”

Liam patted his back and got up from the bed. “You’ll see. Come on. Now I really want to watch that movie. I haven’t seen it in years. It’s hilarious.”

“I hate comedy movies.”

“Oh you’re going to hate this. It’s a romantic comedy.”

Kaiba groaned, but felt himself smiling as he stood from the bed. 

\-----

Kaiba thought Liam was just messing with him about the movie. He was wrong. Three days later, after Red and he fixed the SUV and got money for fixing it, Liam decided they were having a family movie night and MADE him sit down and watch it. It was awful, at first anyway. The movie was mildly humorous, definitely not as funny as everyone else thought. It was sappy too, but he saw what Liam was saying as he watched it. 

Goldie Hawn’s character is wealthy and spoiled. She falls off her boat and gets amnesia after being a jerk to the repair guy. He picks her up from the hospital and claims she is his wife. The movie shows her learning to adapt to the imaginary life and actually growing fond of it, but something Kaiba noticed in the movie was how she handled it. She resented it, much like he did now, then accepted it and made it into what _ she _ wanted. In the end, she had a mixture of both lives. She stayed with the guy, but kept her other life’s money. But this was a movie. He sincerely doubted that in real life someone would appreciate being tricked like that and then still trust that person and he equally doubted that both lives would work together anymore. 

That night he laid in bed thinking about what he needed to do from this point. Liam was right. He was at bottom. He’d been at bottom and made it work before, he could do it now. The problem was, unlike before, he had no idea what direction to go in. He had too many options. Before, he put all of his effort into one single fleeting opportunity to change their lives around for the better and he snagged every optimal opportunity from then on, creating the life he had. This was so very different from that. If he did that here, he’d never get home. He fell asleep, thinking of the scraps of home that might be left if he chose to go back.


	5. Chapter 5

Kaiba sat on the cold concrete floor of the auto shop, looking at a motor for the garage door opener. He had it out of the box and disassembled in pieces all around him. It looked like it worked, but he had this feeling deep in the pit of his stomach that it didn’t. He started to put it back in the box when he heard someone talking to Jake. “Ya got my order in yet old man?”

“Jou?!” 

Kaiba threw the motor and box on the ground and scrambled to his feet. He looked around but he didn’t see him, just some other guy standing up at the counter. He almost knelt back down to deal with the motor, when he saw someone else in front of the guy reaching for a box that Jake set down. 

“Sure do.” Jake smiled, patting the box. “Got it in this morning.”

“I’ll be in the car, baby. Hurry up.” Kaiba’s eyes widened and he sucked in a sharp breath when the guy shifted over, revealing Jou standing in front of him. 

“Yeah yeah yeah. Get outta here,” Jou laughed and pushed him playfully away. 

The guy laughed too and grabbed the front of Jou’s shirt, hauling him over to press his mouth on his. Kaiba watched in complete horror as Jou just melted into it like he used to do when he kissed him. Then Jou pushed him away again and the guy left. Jake leaned on the counter shaking his head at them when he noticed Kaiba standing there. “Hey Seto! Ready to buy that motor?”

Jou turned and looked right at him. “Kaiba?!”

He had to fight to stay standing, fight to keep from leaving. Part of him was broken into millions of pieces and the other part irrationally just wanted to run up and wrap his arms around him again. He stared at Jou, unable to move, as he walked over to him. He didn’t say anything and Kaiba watched just as many emotions sweep over him as he had. Then he smiled mournfully. “Where were ya?”

“I...I’ve been here.” He took a shaky breath and clenched his fists to stop himself from touching him. “I missed you.”

Jou snickered and shook his head. “I missed ya too. I thought ya were dead.”

He didn’t even know what to say to that. He was. “I got hung up somewhere, but I’m back now.”

Jou nodded and looked down at the ground, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

“I have some people I want you to meet, Katsuya. Turns out, you’re not the only one who can put up with me.” He tried to laugh but it just came out as a sigh.

Jou grinned up at him. “I find that hard ta believe.”

He mimicked his grin, feeling like he might actually come with him. “It’s true though. Come home with me.”

He looked like he was thinking it over, before looking at the shop door. Then Kaiba heard him say something he’d feared more than anything. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

He looked into Kaiba’s eyes, but they weren't bright and warm like they’d always been when he looked at him before. They were dull and lifeless. “It’s been three years. I’m… I’m not,” he sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I thought ya were dead. I… I’m married now, Kaiba. I can’t.”

“Then leave him.”

Jou shook his head, looking almost as pained as Kaiba felt. “That’s not how it works ‘n ya know it.”

“It is if you want it to be.” 

He couldn’t take it anymore and reached out, trying to hold on to what he’d always thought would be there. The one person he never thought he’d lose. He tried to kiss him but Jou backed away holding up his hands to stop him. “It’s been too long,” he sighed, pursing his lips, “I love ya. I’ll always love ya, but I can’t turn my back on what I got now.” 

Kaiba stared at him, feeling whatever was left of him shattering too. Jou a looked at the door of the shop, fidgeting, like he wanted to leave. Then he sighed and turned to face him. “I gotta go. I’m glad you’re okay ‘n someone’s takin’ care ‘o ya. Ya need that.”

He paused and then turned to walk away. Kaiba grabbed his arm and tried to talk but he was too overwhelmed with what was happening. He should’ve left and come home as soon as he got out of that hospital. He should’ve insisted that he wasn’t who they thought he was. He shouldn’t have assumed Jou moved on without him... but he did, didn’t he? And even standing there now, alive and wanting to come back, Jou wasn’t willing to let him come back home. 

“Jou-”

“I already told ya-”

“I know. I just want to say good-bye. Right this time.”

Jou sighed and turned around. He wrapped his arms around Jou and held him as tight as he could. He had some small hope that this would change his mind, like it used to before, so many times before; but from how lightly Jou hugged him back, that hope was destroyed. He’d moved on, Kaiba was no where close; and holding him now, that was painfully evident. He couldn’t keep his emotions under control anymore and broke down. 

He buried his face in the crook of Jou’s neck and cried, holding him tighter. “I love you. I’m so sorry for doing this to you.” He felt Jou’s hands slide off of him but he refused to let him go. So he held on to what was left of something he’d never have again.

Then he woke up. 

He stared up at the dark ceiling, his eyes blurred from tears. He sobbed, trying to calm down. It was just a dream, a nightmare, but just a dream. It wasn’t real. It didn’t happen. He told himself that over and over and over again, but he still felt exactly as he did in it. No matter what he did, he couldn’t shake the feeling; the feeling he lost everything.

He wasn’t willing to just lay in bed like this, so he got up and left the room. He moved through the living room, angrily wiping the tears from his face and looking around for something to do. He needed something to do. The first thing that came to mind was the garage door opener. It was the last thing he had to fix. So he stormed through the house and pulled open the door, slamming it behind him. He flipped on the light and tried to take some deep breaths to calm down enough to see. 

He grabbed a screwdriver and some pliers before getting the ladder. He set it up under the garage door opener and climbed up, still needing to rub his eyes just to see the steps on the ladder and not fall. This was probably not the best project to work on like this. He realized that even more when his hands shook trying to get the cover off. 

He had the cover off and a good portion of it disassembled when he heard the door open. He froze, worried he’d woken everyone up. Then he’d have to explain why he was crying and working on the garage door opener in the middle of the night. He was embarrassed enough about being so upset over a stupid dream without having to explain it to anyone. 

Whoever came into the garage didn’t say anything, and he wondered if they just opened the door to look and then left. Then Red walked around the ladder, frowning up at him. His expression softened and he shook his head. “I’m starting to see a pattern.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You work when you’re upset. You know, most of the time I didn’t realize you were upset at all. Is that why you do it?”

Kaiba just glared at him, then returned to working on the motor. “I’m always working.”

“You’re always tinkering,” Red corrected, “You ‘work’ when you’re upset. Insisting on fixing the dishwasher, the lawn mower and the washing machine, that was you upset. The SUV, the Lincoln and stealing your dad’s engine plans, that’s you tinkering.”

“It’s all the same.”

“It’s not,” Red said, leaning on some boxes, “The only thing that exists for you right now is that motor. When you’re working on the cars or with your dad, you’re seeing everything.”

Kaiba just ignored him. What the hell would he know? 

“Everything you do makes so much more sense now.”

“I think you’re reading into things,” he muttered, glaring at one of the parts that fell off the ladder onto the floor.

Red walked over to it and picked it up. “So what happened?”

“This is one of those ‘don’t ask questions’ things. Do _ me _ a favor and go back to sleep.”

“I could do that if you wanted, or I can tell you what happened when I asked you to pick me up and you can tell me what’s wrong.”

Kaiba grit his teeth together. “Even if I wanted to talk to you, and I don’t more than anything right now, you wouldn’t understand.”

Red tisked and scowled at him. “Oh really?”

He almost threw the screwdriver at him. He had it up and held it so tight in his hand it hurt. But he closed his eyes and turned away throwing it down on the ground instead. He jumped off the ladder and turned to face Red; his arms crossed over his chest, looking at him with a little bit of anger and a little bit of curiosity. 

“Yes_ really _ . I don’t know you. I don’t know them. I’m never going to know any of you and you will _ never _ know me. So you make all the little theories you want. You have no fucking idea!”

Red pushed himself up off the boxes and glared at him. “Who’s fault is that?”

“Mine! I want to be left alone! Why can’t you fucking see that?!”

Red looked like he was going to say something, then sighed, “Fine. What do you need help with?”

“I don’t need your help.”

“You’re probably right about that but I’m not leaving you alone.”

“Why not?!”

“Because you don’t do very well by yourself when you can’t fix what your working on and that,” Red said, pointing up at the garage door opener, “will never be fixed.”

“How would you know?”

He then pointed to a different part of the opener and Kaiba realized it was missing a pretty important part, the chain. “Everywhere’s closed.”

Kaiba stared up at it feeling like it was some grand metaphor for his life; in pieces scattered everywhere and missing a crucial part. And that crucial part was somewhere he couldn’t get to. He buried his hands in his hair and looked around the garage, hoping to see something he could fix. Anything. There had to be something. 

“You can keep looking all night, and I’ll help you if you need me too, but you’d probably feel better just talking to me.”

“That’s never worked before I don't see why it would now,” he breathed, feeling his eyes blurring again.

“You’ve never talked to me.”

Kaiba threw his hands to his sides. “Fine. You want to know what’s wrong? I just had a dream about my imaginary boyfriend dumping me. There! Now leave me the hell alone!”

Red tilted his head to the side and Kaiba had no idea what he was thinking. His expression didn’t seem to match the situation at all. Then he nodded with a soft smirk, and walked past him to the doorway. “Okay Corbin, I believe you.”

“What?”

“I believe you have a boyfriend,” he said, opening the door and gesturing for him to come inside, “and now I really want to know about him.”

“What makes you think I want to talk about him?”

Red grinned at him and lifted his chin. “Just come in. I’ll make us some coffee.”

He didn’t want to. He even looked around the garage again trying to find a good excuse not to, but there wasn’t anything. So he muttered some curses under his breath and pushed past Red into the house. He stomped into the kitchen and slumped into one of the folding chairs at the table. Hanging his head in his hands, he tried to calm down, smelling the coffee brewing. It wasn’t long before he heard a cup being set in front of him. He looked up at it with just as much disdain as he did everything else. Especially Red. 

Red took a sip of coffee then tilted his head to the side. “How serious are you and your boyfriend?”

“I’m the serious one, he’s not.”

Red chuckled and shook his head. “This is going to be a really long night if you’re going to do that.”

“Good.”

“So he likes to work on cars. Any other hobbies?”

“Annoying the shit out of me.”

“Does he have any siblings?”

“Yes.”

“Is he from around here?”

“No.” 

“How long have you been together?”

He took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes at his coffee cup. He wrapped his fingers around it, thinking. “Three years.” he sighed, picking the cup up. “Or five if you count all this bullshit.”

“Does he know you’re here?”

“No.”

Red was quiet for a while then started almost giggling. Kaiba looked up glaring at him and he waved it off. “Sorry. I just can’t believe you have a boyfriend. Well that’s not true. I can believe you have a boyfriend, just not… Not someone who gives you a bad enough dream to run through the house like a madman to take apart a garage door opener.”

Kaiba didn’t say anything and chose that exact moment to take the first sip of his coffee. 

“Did you try to call him?”

“Yes. The number doesn’t work.”

Red nodded. ”I can’t get a hold of mine either.”

“I thought you said you talked to him online?”

“I did say that, and that’s what I tell everyone when they ask. But the truth is I haven’t seen or spoken with him in over 7 years.”

Kaiba turned to face Red. “7 years?”

“I was trying to get enough money to see him, but then I lost my business and all the money that went with it.”

Kaiba couldn’t wrap his mind around that so he looked back down at his coffee and sighed. “So what happened that had you calling me at 2 am?”

“Well,” Red frowned down at his coffee, “do you want the long story or the short one?”

“Short.”

Red’s frown twisted and he closed his eyes. “Danny picked a fight with me right after he hung up on you. He was saying things he shouldn’t have known and I realized that he’d gotten into my laptop and probably everything else in my room, while I was gone. It was the only way he’d know what he did. The fight escalated, I called you.”

“There’s a long version of that?” 

Red half smiled. “Yes. A very very long version of that. I’d need to explain why I was living there and why I kept trying to give him second chances. The long version also includes explaining that he didn’t just go through my stuff. He destroyed it. As you can see, I don’t have my laptop here. I had letters on it. Letters I wrote to my boyfriend that I wanted to give him when I got the money to see him. I’ve written a lot on that laptop that I saved for him. Pictures I’d saved for him. Just... so much over the years and now it’s all gone.” Then he grit his teeth. “It also includes him not understanding what the phrase ‘no way in hell’ means.”

“That explains why you punched him.” He smirked, then frowned at Red. “Why were you doing all of that anyway? It’s been 7 years. He might not even remember you.”

Red forced a smile and shook his head. “He remembers me, and it wasn’t supposed to take this long. I should’ve been there by now.”

“What about your parents? Didn’t they want to help you?”

Red locked up. It was the first time Kaiba saw him like that and knew he shouldn't have asked that question. “I moved 7 years ago. About a year after that, our house burned down… I'm the only one that made it.” 

Kaiba leaned back in the folding chair. “I didn’t know that.”

“I don’t talk about it. I don’t even think Sylia or Liam know about it. Or maybe they do and that’s why they bought me a bed too.”

“Yeah,” Kaiba muttered, scowling down the hallway to their bedroom door. “Don’t get me started on the bed.”

“My point is, I do understand.”

Kaiba felt himself smiling at him and then nodded, glancing down at his empty cup. Then he looked and Red’s. He grabbed both of them and brought them into the kitchen to fill them. “So let me get this straight, you moved some time after we stopped talking in highschool, got a boyfriend and moved back. Then lost your family and tried ever since to get back?”

Red sighed, “Yeah, that’s about right.”

“Where is he?”

Red looked uncomfortable, shifting in his seat and frowning at the table. He started to say something when Sylia came out of their bedroom. “Oh wow. You boys are already awake?”

“Yeah, couldn’t sleep,” Red said with a smile, “Want some coffee? Corbin’s making more.”

She gave him a sleepy smile. “I’d love that.”

Kaiba glanced over at Red, but didn’t feel this was the time to ask him any more questions. Syila joined them at the table once the coffee was done, and not long after that Liam was awake. He’d have to wait.

\-----

Today was probably the last of the good weather (if the weatherman on the news cast had anything to say about it). He thought about working on Mokuba’s project but Red had other plans. “Grab a jacket.”

“Why?”

“You can freeze if you want but I’d bring one.” Red laughed and walked into the kitchen, rummaging through the fridge.

Kaiba got up from the sofa and grabbed his jacket while Red walked back over with a case of beer in his hands. “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

Kaiba muttered under his breath about Red wasting his time, but he just laughed at him. They got into the Lincoln, Red driving this time, and pulled out of the driveway. Kaiba had no idea where they were going. After being on the highway for about a half hour, Red turned to grin at him. “It’s not too bad of a drive there. About an hour or so.”

“Drive where?”

“Garden of the Gods.”

Kaiba didn’t know what to say to that. He rolled his eyes and leaned against the door. “You’re taking me to a garden?”

Red laughed. “No. I’m taking you to see why this place isn’t entirely hell.”

“That might be worth an hour drive.”

He snickered, “That’s what I thought.”

An hour later, Red stopped at an old gas station. He went inside and came out with a white generic bag filled with what looked like more beer. Kaiba watched him get back into the car. He didn’t say anything more and drove through a wooded park. The drive was beautiful itself, not considering wherever Red was taking him. The trees swayed in the breeze, shimmering of red, orange and brown. Then Red parked the car in a designated lot. He turned the car off and reached back to grab the bag and the other pack of beer. “Ready?”

“I guess.”

“It’s a little bit of a hike but it’s worth it. If it’s not we have beer so,” He shrugged and got out of the car, Kaiba right behind him. 

It wasn’t no ‘little bit’ of a hike. Kaiba felt like he was going to die. What was Red thinking? He was in a coma for three years! Just because he walked around like normal didn’t mean he was in the peak physical condition of his life. But he made it to where Red wanted him to go. He walked over to large stone bluffs and followed Red climbing up them. Once on the top, he huffed and laid back staring up at the bright blue sky. 

“Need a beer already?”

“Beer is disgusting.”

“You just haven’t had the right kind,” Red insisted, “I bought the right kind.”

“Sure you did.”

“Come on Corbin. Look! It’s beautiful and you’re missing it.”

Kaiba groaned at Red’s nudging him and sat up. He blinked, looking around them. Red was right. It was beautiful. They were high enough to see trees stretching across the horizon; trees of red, gold, tan green and so many other shades that he couldn’t describe. It looked like someone painted a landscape and spackled it with different colored paint, only the hazy hills in the background held any kind of consistent color. The waves of trees swayed in the breeze, shifting it’s shades as he stared out at it. It was breathtaking. He’d come to the United States many times for business but he never stopped to admire its beauty, especially in a place like this. A place he thought for sure didn’t have any.

He heard a can open beside him and turned to look at Red, leaning back against the rock with his ankles crossed and a beer to his lips. “Fine, I’ll try one.”

Red snickered lifting himself up sharply as beer spilled onto his shirt. He shook his head and laughed. “Okay. Hold on.”

Kaiba leaned back against the rock next to him and waited for him to hand him one of the cans. When he did, he looked down at it. “What is this?”

“Just drink it.”

Kaiba took a sip of it and coughed. “Yeah. Beer is still disgusting.”

Red laughed. “Some friends of mine said everyone says that till they get drunk on it once.”

“You have friends?”

“You’re such a dick.”

“I don’t see you hanging around anyone but me. I’m just asking a question.”

“I don't talk to them anymore. They were more Danny’s friends anyway.”

“They can’t be worse than me.”

Red smiled at him, making him suddenly uncomfortable. “Probably not.”

He looked away and took another sip. The second sip wasn’t as bad as the first. He still wouldn’t go out of his way to drink it, but it wasn’t undrinkable. Red sighed, staring out at the view then shifted. “Do you have friends along with that imaginary boyfriend of yours?”

Kaiba stared out at the trees, thinking about that. “No, he has friends.”

“And they’re your friends?”

“More or less. I was stuck with them when I got him.”

Red laughed. “That sounds fair. Are they good friends?”

“He thought so.”

“I’m asking you what you think.”

“Yes. I think they are.”

“I just can’t see you having friends either.”

“You’re here.”

Red snickered and downed the rest of the beer. Then he sighed and reached through the white bag. “Yeah I am.”

Kaiba watched him, thinking he’d grab another beer but he grabbed a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. “Since when do you smoke?”

“I quit a year or so ago.”

“And you’re smoking now because?”

“One, I'm drinking, and two… Your bad dreams are giving me bad dreams.”

Kaiba winced and looked away. 

He hit the pack against his wrist a few times before unwrapping it. “With any luck this will be the last pack I ever have.”

“I think every smoker says that.”

Red laughed, doubling over. “That’s so true.”

Kaiba snickered too, before taking another drink. “So why did you drag me all the way up here? To smoke?”

“No. I thought you needed a break from the house.”

He did.

Red lit the cigarette and sighed, pulling up his leg to rest his arm on his knee. Kaiba watched him out of the corner of his eye. He still reminded him of someone, but not right now. He seemed like his own person that Kaiba still didn’t know. After all he’d done for him, he decided he should probably change that. “So… why are you here?”

Red brought the cigarette to his lips and scoffed. “I just told you.”

“No I mean at the house. Sylia said you helped her while I was in a coma. Did I start talking to you again at some point before I overdosed?”

Red tilted his head, looking out at the trees. He exhaled a puff of smoke as he spoke. “No, you still weren't talking to me.”

“So why? I doubt I did anything to give you the idea I wanted you here.”

Red turned to face him and smiled. “I don’t know. I ran into Sylia at the store one day and saw she needed help so I’m helping her.”

“You’re helping me.”

“We were friends once. I didn’t forget.” Red gave him a strange look when he said that and he got that feeling again.

He shook his head, huffing in frustration. “It’s going to piss me off.”

“What?”

“You,” Kaiba said, then finished his beer. “I’ll figure it out.”

“Need another?” Kaiba nodded and he reached into the bag, grabbing two. “Me too.”

Kaiba opened the can, glancing over at Red. “It would help if I knew you better.”

“What do you want to know?”

“I don’t know. Not that you’ll give me a straight answer anyway. You lie a lot.”

Red sighed and took a drag from his cigarette. “Yeah I’m sorry about that.”

“Some things aren’t anyone's business.”

Red nodded. “True, but I don’t like lying about everything.”

“So let’s start off with something else.” Kaiba turned to him and smirked at him. “What’s your favorite color?”

Red laughed, shaking his head. “It’s actually gold.”

There’s that feeling again.

“Favorite movie?”

“There’s way too many to pick one. What do you like doing besides tinkering on anything you can get your hands on?”

“Nothing.”

“I don’t believe that,” Red said, shifting against the rock, “Do you like playing games?”

“I used to, now I don’t.”

“Why?”

He sighed, “It feels like working.”

“I thought you liked working.”

“I thought I did too but,” he shook his head, not really knowing what to say, “I’m getting tired of it.”

“Mmm, I can understand that. I’m getting tired too.”

Kaiba looked at Red, frowning at the horizon. He couldn’t imagine spending 7 years fighting and getting nowhere. He couldn’t imagine failing every step of the way to something he needed and having nothing to hold on to. Even clear across the world from Jou and Moki, Kaiba didn’t feel like that. Red turned to glanced at him, then back at the trees. “Do you think everything happens for a reason?”

“No.”

“I do, or did, but I still can’t understand why any of the last seven years happened. Not a single second of it. Well,” He smiled at the trees, “except for moments like this.”

“Looking at trees?”

“Drinking with a friend. A real friend that doesn’t just hang around because they want something from me.”

“I’m pretty sure you’re here _ specifically _ to go wherever it is you want to go and you think I can take you there or you’d be gone. How is that any different?”

Red turned and glared at him. “And your back to being a dick.”

“It’s true, Red. Just admit it.”

“Not everyone is an asshole like you. I’m here to make sure you’re alright. I’m still going to get back, whether you help me or not. I don’t NEED your help.”

“And I don’t need yours.” 

Red actually looked hurt. Like he’d punched him right in the face. And that look brought back a bad memory he tried for years to forget. Just another reason Jou would move on and not wait for him.

His first fight with Jou, thier first real fight, a good year and a half after they started dating, went to complete hell. As much as he’d like to say it was all Jou’s fault, it was SOLELY his. That fight was painful and exhausting and almost destroyed any relationship they’d created together. Jou got him a gift for his birthday, and he never did find out what it was. Mokuba gave him his card so he could get it, and Jou paid him back in cash, but Kaiba didn’t know that. He thought Jou stole the card, and to this day, he didn’t know why he thought that. Probably because one of his projects was stolen on the same day. He was hell bent on making sure Jou took the fall for a mistake he thought he made himself. So hell bent on it, he was willing to lose Jou to do it. 

The fight escalated from there, like they usually did after that first year; saying things he didn't mean, things he knew would get under Jou’s skin, things he knew would tear into him more than a punch ever could. But this fight, Mokuba intervened. Kaiba took the box his gift was in and ran down stairs, throwing it in the fire. Mokuba was right there, telling him that was a gift. Kaiba insisted he stole the money. When Mokuba said he didn’t, Kaiba was too mad to believe him. His fury switched from Jou to Mokuba so fast he didn’t realize it happened at all. 

He said just as much to Mokuba as he did to Jou, just as hurtful and just as wounding, all the way up until Jou stepped in between them and slapped him. It was so out of character for Jou. A slap? Kaiba stopped everything he was doing and thinking, and just stared at both of them. They looked at him exactly like Red looked at him now. 

Kaiba might not know Red as well as he felt he should, but he knew enough to say the one thing that would hurt him and he said it the first chance he got, just like with Jou. Why he didn’t break up with him and never talk to him every again after that, he couldn’t figure out. Jou told him it was because he yelled at Mokuba and he NEVER did that. He realized something else was wrong, so he didn’t hold on to it. He let it go. Mokuba didn’t. He held onto it for a year and made sure to let him know how upset he was about it. He had a lot of apologizing to do that year and he tried, but he probably didn't do enough. 

Red started getting up when Kaiba reached out to stop him. “I… just wait a minute.”

“Why should I?”

“You probably shouldn’t,” Kaiba sighed. “I didn’t mean to imply your like Danny. That’s not what I meant.”

“What you meant wasn’t much better, Corbin.”

Kaiba grit his teeth at that name. “Don’t give me that. Aren’t you a little suspicious you’re going to get used again? It’s not something you forget.”

“Not with you.”

He just couldn’t believe he was serious. He looked serious, sounded serious, but how could he be? He wasn’t a good friend and Corbin sure as hell wasn’t either. So why was he so adamant about this? Then Kaiba started snickering, “Aside from the fact that you have absolutely nothing for me to take from you.”

Red scowled looking away, he started to say something, then stopped. Glancing back, his lips curled into a smile and he shook his head. “Fuck you.”

“If it makes you feel any better,” Kaiba snickered and took a sip of his beer, “I don’t have anything either.”

“You have a family.”

“Want to lease them?” Kaiba asked, looking very seriously at Red.

He burst into laughter, relaxing back against the rock. Kaiba smirked, watching Red try to catch his breath. His smirk faded though, as he watched him shift against the rock and look out at the trees again like nothing happened. He smiled out at the view, his hair shifting in the breeze across his neck. Kaiba looked out at the trees again, glimmering and shifting colors. “Are you afraid to go back?”

“Yes,” Red sighed, “I’m terrified.”

“So why do you want to?”

Red didn’t answer at first. Instead he kept smiling at the view. “Same as you I guess. I love him.” His smile looked pained, as he kept his eyes on the horizon. “I spent 3 years holding on to any memory I had of him, 2 trying everything I could think of to forget him, and 2 more to realize even if I do see him again it doesn’t mean I get him back.” Red sighed through his nose, grabbing another cigarette from the box. “I’m terrified, but I have to do this. Even if I’m 80 and rolling myself in a fucking wheelchair. I'm going back.”

Kaiba laughed and shook his head. “Okay, Red.”

“Okay what?”

“You can come with me.”

\----

“Why did they leave us here?” Mokuba wrapped his arms around his knees and sighed staring out ahead of him. 

Kaiba looked around too, sitting in the middle of a corn field with the stalks weaving in the breeze. Weren’t they cut down already? “I don’t know.”

“At least we’re together right?”

Kaiba smiled at him and wrapped his arm around his shoulders. “Always.”

“You know I’m always with you right? No matter where you are or what you’re doing? I’m right here.”

Kaiba stared at him and the wistful smile on his face as he looked up into the blue sky. “No, Moki… I don’t.”

Mokuba turned to him and sighed, still smiling the same smile he saw in the video chat when they met with Donnovan. “We conquered the world together; fought every step of the way for what we wanted, together. I’ll never forget you big brother and I’ll always be here to keep fighting, right with you. That’s what we do.”

“It is.”

“Maybe that’s why this feels like a cage instead of a new adventure. We’re so used to fighting we don’t know when to stop.”

Kaiba looked away from him and laid back against the corn stalks. “Jou wanted to stop.”

“I know,” he said, tapping his feet in the dirt, “Maybe he was right.”

“I don’t know about all that.”

Mokuba giggled. 

He looked over at Mokuba, still staring up at the sky and smiled. “I’m coming home. I promise.”

He turned and smiled at him. “I know. We’re waiting for you.”

Kaiba took a deep breath of the warm air and sat up smiling. Mokuba wasn’t beside him anymore but his smile never left. He felt him there even if he didn’t see him and that gave him the strength to get up and walk through the field. 

He sighed awake, looking into the dark room at Red fast asleep on the bed across from him with his arm over his eyes. He didn’t feel alone anymore. Laying in the dark on a bed that was his in a room that was his. And it wasn’t just because of that dream. Kaiba decided, staring at the room filled with new furniture and little trinkets and random tiny containers of make up, that he trusted Red. He trusted Liam and he trusted Sylia and that was a strange revelation for him. He might get hurt and taken advantage of, just like Red was with his friend and just like Sylia and Liam with their son, but it was a risk he was willing to take.   
  


\----

A month later, the weather changed drastically again. It snowed huge flakes of white outside while Kaiba sat on the floor against his bed finishing up a portion of the project from Mokuba. Red laid on his stomach on his bed and continued reading the gaming strategy book, kicking the wall every now and then. He asked him to stop at least twenty times. But it still happened. It wasn’t just an annoying sound, it kept making him look up every time he did it. 

One more kick and Kaiba glared at him. “One more time, and I’m throwing that book in the trash.”

Red snickered and turned a page. “Sorry. It’s just really interesting.”

“It’s a game guide. I doubt that.”

“It’s a lot more than that,” Red said, showing him the book. 

Kaiba looked at it then took it from Red to get a better look. He was right, it was a lot more than that. He flipped the book over and read the back. Why did this look familiar? He opened it to the page about the author and his eyes widened. This was written by Yuugi. He remembered him writing this but he’d never read it. He didn’t know he actually got it published. He was impressed. He looked up to ask Red what he’d written about when he saw him staring at the book with a fond almost loving smile. The feeling he knew him came up again and suddenly a lot of things started piecing together. 

Atem. 

That’s who Red reminded him of, but it wasn’t like Sylia reminding him of Mokuba. Red said he moved back seven years ago, about the time that Atem left. Red said he had a boyfriend with multi colored hair and stared at the book written by Yuugi who had that too. He did make up which was something Jou had mentioned to him about Atem doing with Anzu and Yuugi. He only played duel monsters with his boyfriend and hadn’t played in a long time. He was reading this book, not a guide, but more like a biography with strategies laid into it. It would explain why he kept hanging around Kaiba. But that would mean he knew he wasn’t Corbin. That was the only hang up. How could he get him to say if that’s who he was? Kaiba handed him the book back. “What’s so interesting about it?”

Red shrugged his shoulders, opening the book back up to where he was reading. “I have a couple different strategy guides but this one is more… I don’t know. I guess it’s more personal.”

“So you’re not reading it because of who it’s about?” 

Red shifted on the bed so Kaiba couldn’t see his face anymore. “No.”

Kaiba grinned up at him and shut his laptop. “I know who you are. I remember you.”

“Good,” Red said, “Now you have to start remembering your parents.”

“That’s never going to happen. You aren’t Red.”

He sighed, “We already talked about this.”

“We did. And I that’s what I don’t understand. Why are you insisting on this?”

“Alright Corbin,” he huffed and turned to face him again, half leaning off the bed. “Who am I?”

“Atem.”

Red’s expression completely changed from frustration to curiosity. “I think you’re confusing me with someone else from your imagination.”

“Am I? Where does your boyfriend live?” Red pursed his lips so Kaiba continued. “The reason you want to leave with me is you know I’m going home and that’s where he is.”

Red suddenly smirked. “I have more reasons than just that, Kaiba.”

Kaiba immediately grabbed the pillow off his bed and hit him as hard as he could, knocking the laptop off his lap and the book out of his hands, but he didn’t care. “I should kill you!”

He scrambled up to his knees and smoothed back his messed up hair, laughing. “It’s about time you figured it out. What’s it been? 6 months?”

“Why? Why wouldn’t you tell me?”

Atem’s expression softened and his smile seemed weak. “Because it would only make you hold on to the idea you were still in the life you had before. You had to do this on your own. I had to. I knew you needed to.”

He got up off the floor and started to yell at him about it, but he was right. He looked away from him and stared at the bed and the book on it. “How did you know it was me?”

“I brought you here. I should know.”

“What?”

“You’ve done a lot for Yuugi and me over the years. I felt I owed you the favor.”

“You never owed me anything.”

Atem shrugged and sat on the edge of the bed. “This isn’t easy and it might not work out, but it’s a start at getting back.”

“I don’t understand. How could you bring me back? How are you back?”

“I was promised a life again if I could find one willing to switch with me. I found Al and he gave me his life.” Atem lowered the corner of his shirt over his left shoulder to a large scar across his chest. “I got into a pretty bad car accident a few years later, four years I think, so I was able to go back. I found Corbin. I’m sorry it took a little longer than I’d hoped for you to wake up. Death does NOT like being tricked.”

“That’s why it’s been two years?”

Atem nodded, letting go of his shirt collar.

“Couldn’t have picked some comatose idiot in the same country?”

Atem laughed. “I wish it worked that way. I’d be home already if it did.”

Kaiba’s shoulders slumped. Atem was stuck here for seven years, doing everything he could to get back and still wasn’t anywhere near it. He turned to look at Atem feeling like a complete jackass. He hated everything about his situation, but he didn’t think, didn’t know, this was why. “I’m not sure whether I should be mad at you for bringing me into this or thank you for saving me.”

Atem smirked at him and shrugged his shoulders. “You don’t need to thank me. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you earlier.”

Turning to look at the rest of the room, then back to Atem, he sighed, “I don’t know how much longer it will be, but we are going back. I promise.”

Atem smiled at him and nodded curtly. “I know.”

\----

A month later, Liam and Kaiba had Mokuba’s project completed. It should’ve taken one month, but they ran into a snag. Nothing they couldn’t fix, but it took a while. Liam called Mokuba and put him on speakerphone, setting the phone down in the middle of the folding table where their laptop and papers were. Atem and Sylia were busy making dinner in the kitchen when Mokuba picked up. 

“Mr. Anderson! It’s good to hear from you. How’s the project coming along?”

“It’s finished. We wanted to go over it with you and see what you thought before I sent it to you.”

“Done already? Wow. Let’s get this moving then!”

Liam went over the details making sure to mention the things Kaiba felt Mokuba might be more interested in. When they finished, he seemed overjoyed with the result. He should be, Kaiba was satisfied with it. 

“Send it to me, Mr. Anderson, I’ll get the amount we discussed deposited in your account like before.”

“Wonderful. Thank you.”

“Oh, and while I’m on the phone with you. Is your son there?”

“I’m here,” Kaiba said, leaning a little closer to the phone.

“Do you by chance play Duel monsters?”

Kaiba looked up at Atem and smirked. “Yeah, my friend and I play.”

“Are you both any good?”

“Yes we are.”

“Good enough to participate in a tournament to represent Kaiba Corporation?”

Kaiba responded without missing a beat. “Definitely.”

“I like your enthusiasm. Would you mind flying over and demonstrating that?”

Kaiba shook his head and snickered, “Not at all.”

“Good! I’ll send you both invitations to the qualifiers. It’s in a few months. Should give you plenty of time to get things in order to come here. You’re invited too, Mr. Anderson. I’d love to meet your family and meet my new engineers face to face.”

“My wife will be ecstatic. She’s always wanted to go to Japan.”

Syila suddenly dropped the bowl she had in her hand and gasped, “We’re what?!”

Mokuba laughed. “I can already hear it.”

“We’ll be seeing you in a few months, Mr. Kaiba.”

“Wonderful.”

When Liam hung up Sylia bombarded him with questions and shouts of excitement. Kaiba looked into the kitchen, noticing Atem was still making dinner and frowning. He got up from the chair and tried to get into the kitchen but Sylia grabbed him in a tight hug. He snickered and hugged her back. 

“Thank you so much Honey!”

“Don’t thank me. This is all Liam.”

She stepped back and tisked at him, then sat in his chair to look at something Liam was showing her on the laptop. Kaiba walked into the kitchen and leaned on the counter. “You don’t seem very happy.”

“I am happy.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

“It’s been seven years. That’s what’s wrong.”

Kaiba grinned. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“I have everything to worry about. Like you said, he probably doesn’t even remember me.”

“That’s before I knew who he was.”

Atem just shook his head and continued making dinner. Kaiba turned to look at Liam and Sylia working on something then back at him. He remembered the favor that Yuugi had asked him. His friends kept trying to set him up on blind dates. When he refused to go on them and weaseled his way out of them, they started changing it up so he was in places that they’d have whoever they wanted to set him up with, there too. He asked Kaiba to call him and get him out of those situations. Which at first he remembered refusing to do. He didn't have time and he didn’t understand why it was so important. Until he saw what they were doing. 

Jou invited Yuugi to a restaurant with him and Kaiba. _ He _ didn’t even know that Jou set up a double date, and he was furious when someone he’d met maybe one time showed up, but he’d assumed Yuugi knew too, so he didn’t say anything… at first. He remembered how uncomfortable Yuugi was, fidgeting and finding his bracelets more interesting than the conversation going on around him. Just like everything else Jou did, he kept being overly zealous about the whole thing. Before they even got their food, Kaiba asked Yuugi if he wanted to leave. He stared at him and didn’t say anything so Kaiba got up and dragged Yuugi out of the restaurant. Well, dragged was a strong word. Yuugi went willingly, thanking him the whole way. 

Yuugi explained to him why he asked him for help just outside of the restaurant, before Jou showed up to yell at him. He said he appreciated his friends worrying about him, but he just wasn’t ready. He also said why he wasn’t ready. He was still in love with Atem. Kaiba didn’t know that and he was sure that Jou didn’t either. If Jou didn’t know, none of them knew. He asked him why he was telling him about it, and that’s when he said he trusted him. 

Even after the three hour long shouting match he had with Jou about it, he agreed to help Yuugi, and that went on for two years. He ended up hiring Yuugi for game design on accident because of it. It was the perfect excuse, and Yuugi was incredible at it. All the way up to the day of the crash, at least, Yuugi felt the same way. He never understood it before, but he did now.

“He’s still waiting for you. You know that don’t you?”

Atem stopped moving and sighed, “Even if he was, I don’t think he’d recognize me anymore. It took you 6 months.”

“I don’t know you as well as he did, and you’re different. He is too.”

“I’m reading that,” Atem said with a fond smile, “Are you worried about seeing Jou again?”

“Who said anything about Jou?”

Atem gave him an ‘are you serious’ face. “You didn’t need to.”

Kaiba scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets. He didn’t want to think about it, all that did was bring up the nightmare he’d had. Worried wasn’t the right word. He never felt so terrified and yet so relieved at the same time before. He felt that now. 

“We should probably go buy some cards so we can practice. I don’t know about you, but I’m rusty.”

“You’re reading a gaming guide.”

“Without cards.”

Kaiba nodded. “Yeah I guess I’m a little rusty too.”

Suddenly Atem turned around, lifting himself up on his tiptoes to shout over at Liam and Sylia. “Looks like we’re doing that make over day earlier.”

Sylia eeped and clapped her hands. “Yes! How about next week?!”

Atem nodded and then turned back to making dinner. Kaiba rolled his eyes at him.


	6. Chapter 6

A week later, to the day, Kaiba walked into the house and coughed. The smell of chemicals in the air made him gag. He glared into the kitchen where Atem stood behind Sylia with a brush and some kind of bowl in his hands. “What the hell is that?”

“Hair dye,” Atem said, lifting the bowl. 

“It smells awful.”

Atem and Sylia looked at each other then shrugged. She smiled at him and gestured to the living room. “You can open the windows if you want.”

Yes he wanted to. Were they trying to kill themselves? He rushed over to the windows and opened every single one in the house. Sure it was the middle to end of December and there was still snow on the ground but he couldn’t breath. Still coughing when he walked back into the living room. Atem laughed at him, continuing to coat Sylia’s hair with the dye. That’s when he noticed Atem’s hair was completely different. He stopped walking to stare at him. 

Atem looked up and frowned. “What?”

“What did you do to your hair?”

“Do you like it?”

Sylia quickly hit Atem on the hip and laughed. “Don’t ask him that! He’s going to hate it.”

Atem chuckled and looked back at him expecting an answer. His hair wasn’t long anymore. He’d cut the back and sides short and the top stayed long enough to frame his face and spike up at the top; dark red where it was short, fading to bright blond on top. “You look ridiculous.”

“I told you,” she giggled, “I think it looks great Red. Don’t listen to him.”

“He has an old man hair cut. I wouldn’t expect him to understand.”

“I do not!”

Sylia and Atem both snickered, continuing on with their makeover day that Kaiba completely forgot about. He walked over to the folding table and sat down to thumb through the two duel monsters decks they’d made. They weren’t great, but they’d suffice. He’d rather have his but that wasn’t going to happen. Atem finished with the dye and walked over to the sink. Sylia turned to lean over the table, her hair a matted black goopy mess, and smiled at Kaiba. “I’m surprised you know how to play that.”

“It’s easy once you get the hang of it.” 

“It doesn’t look easy to me.” She then gave him a knowing smile that made him uncomfortable. “I’m sure it’s easier than jet engine plans though.”

Kaiba swallowed the lump in his throat and refused to look up at her. “It is.”

She started to say something else when Atem came back over. “So we have a half hour to wait. What colors do you want to do for make up? Have you thought about it?”

“Something more natural. I’m old honey.” She giggled and Atem huffed at her.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Sylia. You don’t look a day over 22.”

“You must tell all the old ladies that.”

“I do,” Atem snickered, setting his tackle box on the table. 

Kaiba looked at it with curiosity, finally knowing what was inside it. A mess of makeup. A mess. It was such a mess that he had to restrain from fixing it. “Why can’t you use a normal box for that? They do make those you know?”

“They make girly ones,” he said, pulling out some brushes and small plastic containers, “I wanted this one.”

“If you promise never to have it look like that, I’ll make you one.”

Atem stopped what he was doing to grin at him. “It’s bothering you that bad? It’s just organized chaos.”

“It’s junk.”

Atem mockingly glared at him, then turned to the containers, opening one of them. He used his ring finger to put some of it on her cheek then wiped it off. He closed the lid for that one and threw it back into the box making Kaiba’s skin crawl. Atem glanced at him, making sure he saw, and grinned. 

“You did that on purpose…”

Atem’s grin widened. “I would never.” 

Kaiba put the cards away and got up from the table. 

“Where are you going honey?” Sylia asked, sounding suddenly worried Atem had upset him. 

Kaiba muttered something under his breath and left the house, but not before hearing Atem explain that he was going to make him a new box. Kaiba slammed the door shut and muttered more, because Atem was right. That’s exactly what he was doing.

\---

When Kaiba came back from the store with all the things he needed to make a new box for Atem, he saw both Sylia and him hunched around a mirror on the table. “See exactly. It takes some practice but it’s not impossible.”

“I can’t believe I did that! This has to be the first time I’ve put on eyeliner that didn’t look like a kindergartener did it,” she giggled, sitting up to look at her reflection. “You have a gift, did you know that Red?”

He waved her off and turned in his seat to look over at Kaiba. “What do you think?”

He was asking about Sylia but Kaiba immediately noticed he had eyeliner on too. “It matches your hair.”

Atem rolled his eyes and gestured to Sylia again. “Not me, her.”

He took a good look at her makeup, and quirked his brow. Atem really was good at it. Her eyeliner, which he assumed she put on, looked just as professionally done as the rest of her make up. “It looks beautiful.”

Sylia glowed at the praise. “That’s a lot coming from you.”

Kaiba wasn’t sure if she was meaning him or Corbin, but took that as it was anyway. He nodded and brought his things over to the makeshift coffee table to work. He spread everything out how he wanted it before Sylia turned back to the mirror to look at herself, then Atem. “I’m surprised I hadn’t seen you wearing this around the house earlier, Red.”

He laughed. “No point in putting it on to work on cars. Besides, it’s not worth hearing him complain about.”

“I’m not complaining about it,” Kaiba insisted, “I just said it matched your hair.”

Sylia snickered and leaned in close to Atem. “He’s just jealous he can’t pull it off like you can.”

Atem couldn’t have looked any more smug. 

“So what’s the occasion for?” she hummed.

“We’re having a makeover day.”

“Not me silly.” She smiled at him and Kaiba glanced up just long enough to see that same knowing smile again. “What are you getting all dolled up for?”

Atem shrugged his shoulders and looked into the mirror, wiping at parts of his eyeliner that he wasn’t happy with. “New beginnings.”

“So it’s not for that boyfriend of yours?”

Atem turned to smile at her. “Maybe that too.”

She giggled and patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”

She walked down the hall and shut her bedroom door behind her. Kaiba almost jumped when Atem bolted up and walked over to him. “Does she know?” he whispered.

“Know what?”

“About you?”

“No.”

“I think she does.”

“What gave you that idea?” Kaiba murmured, fiddling with the drill that wasn’t turning on for some reason. Probably because the outlet was fried. He should’ve bought that stupid cordless one that was on sale. 

“She keeps asking me about what we’re going to do when we get to Domino City. She’s fishing.”

“I think you’re imagining things. Liam hasn’t told her.”

“You’re right. I think she figured it out.”

Kaiba set the useless drill down in his lap and frowned at him. “That would mean she’s figured you out and no one knows about that. Not even the people back home.”

“I think she’s figured out that you know me.”

Kaiba started to say something when the door opened again, silencing their conversation. She came out of the room with two small boxes and smiled at them. “Here!” She handed one to Atem and one to him. 

Atem smiled at it. “You didn’t need to get us anything.”

“Shush.” 

Kaiba just held the box while Atem opened his. When Atem frowned at it, he really didn’t want to open it. Liam walked in the door at that moment and stopped, eyeing all of them. “Sylia you look beautiful… what’s going on?”

“Nice save, dearest.”

“Seriously. What’s going on?”

“I got them a present.”

Liam made eye contact with Kaiba as if to apologize on her behalf and started trying to think of a way out of it, but Atem was moving before any of them could wrap their heads around what was going on. He wrapped his arms around Sylia and hugged her. Kaiba chewed the inside of his cheek when he opened his box. Inside was a beautifully crafted leather cuff with a silver metal strip in the center, saying ‘In times of test, family is best’. 

He picked it up out of the box and looked it over. He hated to admit it, but he loved it. And that was complicated because he still didn’t want anything from them. He was going home. This, like the bed made that even further away. Unlike the bed, he didn’t want to give it back. This meant a lot more and he wanted to keep it, even if he didn’t agree with it fully. So he sat there staring at it, not really sure what to do. 

Liam sighed, “Meddling mothers, huh?”

Sylia giggled. “He didn't throw it! I think that’s a win!”

Kaiba looked up at Atem taking out cuff as well, but much more his style. Black with a golden lotus blossom embedded in the top. He put it on and raised it for Kaiba to see. “New beginnings.” He lowered his wrist and finally smiled at it. “I missed having these.”

Kaiba immediately thought of Yuugi looking at it. That was probably why Atem was frowning. Sylia walked over to him and sat down beside him. “I can take it back if you want.”

“No. That’s fine.”

Atem shook his head. “It’s still customary to say ‘thank you’.”

“Thank you.”

Liam leaned over and patted Kaiba on the shoulder before walking into the kitchen to rummage for food. Sylia hugged him quickly before bounding after Liam to shoo him out of the kitchen. “Dinners not ready yet. Get out of here!”

“I’m going, I'm going.”

Kaiba set the cuff down on the table and started working again. Flicking his eyes up at it every now and then. Trying to decide whether to put it on or put it back in the box. Atem left him be thankfully, and went into the kitchen to finish up Sylia’s makeover and help her with dinner. He spent the rest of the day working on the box and staring at the cuff. That night he set it down on his night stand and stared at it as he drifted off to sleep. 

\-----

A few months of practicing playing duel monsters with Atem, waiting for their passports, filling out paperwork for the tournament and a ton of pacing and bad dreams later; Kaiba was on a plane to Japan. He was on a plane… going back home. It still felt surreal sitting with Atem, staring ahead of him at Sylia bouncing happily in her seat and Liam beside her laughing. They’d be in Domino City within the hour and he couldn’t sit still. He tried to; tried leaning against the arm of the chair to look anywhere but out the windows, tried adjusting the cuff on his wrist because he was painfully aware he’d put it on, even if he’d done that over a month ago, it still felt like he’d just done it. He tried shifting again so he wouldn’t pick the cuff to pieces, but nothing helped. It made it worse that Atem noticed. “Are you sure you don’t want the window seat? I thought that was your spot.”

“I don’t want to see the water.”

Atem hummed in understanding, “That’s fair. I don’t know about you, but I think we will need a drink when we get there.”

“I need a drink now.”

“That can be arranged!” Liam waved at the stewardess. “Can we get some drinks?”

“Of course, sir. What would you like?”

Liam ordered a daiquiri for Sylia, a beer for him, Atem wanted a beer as well and Kaiba was ecstatic they had scotch. Probably shitty scotch but it was close enough. Sylia squirmed in her seat again, beaming. “I can’t believe we’re flying first class! I didn’t even know they did this anymore.”

“Money likes to flaunt it,” Kaiba said, crossing his legs, “First class will never disappear.”

“It might. They’ll just start having all first class planes,” Liam countered, smiling at the stewardess bringing their drinks. 

Kaiba swirled the glass she handed him and looked at Atem. “I still can’t believe you’re drinking that.”

“Ramen and Nattie light for two years straight,” Atem snickered, “I have a whole new appreciation for good beer.”

Liam cackled at that, slapping his knee. “I remember drinking that back in college. It tastes like piss.”

“Watered down piss.” Atem laughed and Kaiba just shook his head at both of them. 

He looked towards the front again, trying not to think about what he’d have to deal with when they got there. He didn’t know how he’d handle seeing Mokuba face to face, or how he’d handle seeing Jou or anyone else he knew. He didn’t know how he’d handle being a guest in places that were his. Hell, how was he handling this plane ride to a city he once lived in, only to go for a tournament? And the tournament. How was he going to swing that?

He closed his eyes and took a sip, grinning into the glass. Just one sip and it took him back. Back to his office at Kaiba corp sitting on the floor with Mokuba playing a new game they were about to release. They had the bottle of scotch on the desk with two glasses, poured and untouched, for hours. 

Kaiba used to hate scotch. He hated the smell, hated the idea, and hated the stigma around it. Tired old businessmen drank scotch. As a matter of fact, he bought hundreds of bottles for that very purpose. It was a good way to do business, but never drank it himself. The only reason he changed that was because of Jou’s dad. He visited with Jou over to his dads at one point about a year or so after they started dating and a commercial for scotch came on in between some sports show he was watching. He asked Kaiba if he’d ever tried it, and when he told him exactly how he felt about it, Jou’s dad laughed. He explained that scotch was a drink to stop time. In his opinion, like fine wine, it is a drink to savor and sip. He also made a comment about how he’d only drank it once because of that. 

He told him the next time he wanted to stop and relax, to try it and see what he meant. So that’s what he did, playing the game with Mokuba that cloudy afternoon. Jou’s dad was right. After they both tried it, they were hooked on it. They did an unhealthy amount of research into it and bought as many different kinds as they could to try until they found ones they loved. 

Then they started collecting them. It became a hobby he had with Mokuba outside of work, outside of everything else. Drinking this glass now, he felt like he was back home with Mokuba lying on the floor in the kitchen surrounded by bottles and glasses, like the end of a desperate middle aged man’s house party, with a notebook filled with notes and comments about each kind they tried. 

“So what are we doing when we land?” Atem asked, making Kaiba opened his eyes and pay attention to the conversation again.

“Still not sure really.” Liam shrugged. “I think we’re going to the hotel first, then Mr. Kaiba wants us to join him for dinner.”

Kaiba was in all out panic mode. Since when was that the plan?! “We’re what?”

“He just messaged me before we got on the plane. If you aren’t feeling up to it, I’ll go by myself.”

Kaiba grit his teeth together and drank more of the scotch than he should have. “No it’s fine.”

Atem gave him a sympathetic smile, but he wasn’t in the mood for it. He crossed his arms over his chest, determined to drink his scotch and glare towards the front of the plane. For the rest of the plane ride that’s what he did, listening to Atem talk to Sylia about all the places she wanted to see while they were there. 

After they landed, they walked through the airport to collect their baggage, but it was already collected. Mokuba met them with a bright smile where their bags should have been. Kaiba slowed to a crawl, letting Liam and Sylia take the lead. He wanted to have as much space between them as possible. He knew if he didn’t, he’d do something stupid or say something stupid and it would ruin everything for everyone. 

“Mr. Anderson,” Mokuba said shaking Liam's hand, then turning to Sylia. “And Mrs. Anderson.” He shook her hand too getting a pleased giggle from her. 

“No one told me how handsome you are!”

Mokuba genuinely smiled at her. “Thank you!”

Sylia moved to the side and wrapped her arm around Kaiba’s. “This is my son, Corbin, but you already met, haven’t you?”

Mokuba nodded and offered his hand out to Kaiba. Shaking Mokuba’s hand like someone he’d never met before was the absolute weirdest thing he’d ever done. They weren't strangers. This was his little brother, and it took everything in him not to try and hug him. Sylia moved on to Atem and smiled. “And this is our adopted son, Red.”

Red snickered and shook Mokuba’s hand as well. “Pleasure to meet you.”

“I thought it would be nice to meet you all here since you have no idea where you're going and I even get lost sometimes,” he said and turned to walk away, “Follow me. I have a limo to take you to the hotel. I also thought you might want to tour the tournament facility too before we get dinner. Unless you’re all tired. It’s a long flight.”

Kaiba begged and pleaded internally for Liam to say they were tired. Give some kind of excuse. Anything. But Liam didn’t get a chance. “We’d love to!” Sylia chirped, “Wouldn’t that be fun, honey?”

Kaiba didn’t trust his voice so all he could do was curtly nod. Mokuba wasn’t paying attention and kept walking with them following after him through the airport. Sylia let go of him and rushed up to grab Liam, talking to him about the signs and the people. 

Atem nudged him in the arm, whispering, “He’s so tall! Wow I feel old.”

“You haven’t seen him in a long time.”

Atem turned to him, smiling sadly. “You must be really proud of him.”

“I am.”

They walked out to the front of the airport to the limo Mokuba had waiting for them. They climbed into it and sat down. Sylia looked like a kid in a candy store, but Kaiba felt like an imposter. He kept staring at Mokuba, in deep conversation with Liam about the success of their last project, then down at his cuff. All of this felt wrong. The cuff, Liam and Sylia, the limo ride and Mokuba sitting on the clear opposite side of the limo instead of right next to him. The only thing that didn’t feel completely like a lie was Atem. He was quiet and expressionless, fiddling with his hair. 

When the limo stopped, he was thrilled he could get out first. Mokuba gave them a tour and it wasn’t as awful as he thought it would be. Everything was new, and he was intrigued with the additions and technicalities that Mokuba pointed out as they went. But when it came time to leave and go to dinner, Kaiba couldn’t do it. Spending this much time around Mokuba hurt. He couldn’t talk to him, couldn’t look him in the eyes and couldn’t get a handle on his emotions long enough to try to be part of the conversations going on around him. So when they got to the limo again, he tried to think of something to say to get him out of it, when Atem cleared his throat. “I’m really sorry but after walking around so much, this jet lag is really getting to me. I think I’m going to go back to the hotel.”

Liam perked up at that. “Oh man that sucks. I’d rather you didn’t go alone though.”

“Would you go with him, honey? I know you were looking forward to dinner too, but I’d feel better if he wasn’t off by himself here.”

“I can go with him. That’s not a problem,” he managed to say and Mokuba smiled at him. 

“I can call you a cab.”

“Thanks, Mr. Kaiba,” Atem said, and it sounded weird to both of them.

Mokuba nodded and called a cab for them. He waited until they were inside and driving away before he ushered Liam and Sylia into the limo. It was polite of him, Kaiba thought. He was making sure Sylia wasn’t worried about them. Something he wouldn’t have done. Then he started wondering if it was out of politeness or something else. What was Mokuba up to?

“Could you actually take us to the Kame Game shop?” Atem asked the driver in fluent japanese, surprising Kaiba. 

The driver nodded and seemed to relax completely. Kaiba frowned at Atem as they pulled away from the tournament facility. “You remember that?”

“I made sure to keep using it so I wouldn’t forget, which is harder than it sounds when no one else speaks it around you.”

Kaiba nodded, then looked out the window. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Atem laughed. “Are you sure you are? Jou’s attached at Yuugi’s hip.”

Kaiba immediately froze. No he wasn’t. “If he’s there, I’ll kill you.”

“I can live with that,” Atem said with determination instead of humor. There was no talking him out of this. 

The cab ride was completely silent after that. When they pulled up to the game shop Atem stared at it like he changed his mind and regretted coming. But he’d already drug them across the city for this, Kaiba was going to make him go. So he pushed him towards the door and opened his. Atem reluctantly got out and paid the driver. They both stood there for a minute before Atem took a deep breath and walked up to the doors. He opened them and walked inside, Kaiba right behind him. 

The limo ride and the tour with Mokuba had him feeling like an imposter, and he’d assumed that feeling would continue in the shop as well, but that’s not how he felt at all. Now he felt like he was grieving; grieving over how strangely familiar walking in was. The smell of musty cardboard and new plastic, the ting of the doorbell and eventually, the happy greeting from Yuugi walking up to the counter. He waved at Yuugi, darting his eyes away as fast as he could, and walked around looking at the new games and other things on the shelves. It was difficult enough talking to Mokuba, talking to two people from his life before in the same day was too much. He also needed to give Atem some space, whether he wanted it or not. 

Yuugi leaned on the counter and smiled politely at Atem. “Anything I can help you with?”

“What’s this?” 

Kaiba glanced over at them. Atem pointed to a glass encased display of a duel monster deck on the counter with a displeased frown. Yuugi shrugged his shoulders. “It’s my deck.”

“You’re selling it?”

“Yep.” He smiled sadly at it. “I don’t play anymore. It’s just collecting dust so I thought I’d help out anyone who’s going to participate in the tournament.”

“Provided they have the money?” Atem asked with a teasing smile.

Yuugi wrinkled his nose at him, then smiled back. “Exactly.”

“What if I don’t have the money?”

Yuugi eyed him for a moment, then mirrored his smile. “What are you suggesting?”

“What if I play you for it?”

“That’s not very fair. I already told you I don’t play anymore.”

“Not that. Any game here.”

“Any game?” Yuugi’s eyes lit up and he beamed. “You’re on!”

“It’s your deck. You chose the game.”

Kaiba watched them before picking up a game that looked interesting. If he didn’t know any better he’d swear Yuugi was flirting with him, and that was strange given he’d never seen Yuugi do that before… Ever. So either something happened, or he had the same ‘I know you from somewhere’ feeling he had.

Yuugi knelt down behind the counter and pulled out a board game that Kaiba loved to play. He just grinned at it. He loved playing Stratego with Yuugi and Mokuba. They were the only ones who made it challenging. It was interesting he picked that game instead of a different one. It could be a long game. Yuugi set up the board with a smirk. “You are going to lose.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. I have an ironclad strategy that you’ll never beat. A good friend taught it to me.”

Kaiba felt his stomach twist, but he probably meant Mokuba. Holding on to that thought was the only thing that allowed him to walk up to the counter to see them play the game. Yuugi finished setting up his half of the board and looked up at Atem. “What’s your name by the way?”

“Red. This is Corbin. What’s yours?”

Yuugi frowned at him. “I’m pretty sure you already know my name.”

“What gave you that idea?”

“Why would you want the deck if you don’t know who I am?”

“I’m playing in the qualifiers tomorrow and my deck sucks. Anything is better than it.”

“It’s not that bad,” Kaiba muttered, helping keep Atem focused on setting up his pieces. 

Atem finished setting it up and looked up. Yuugi narrowed his eyes at him, then smiled. “It’s Mutou, Yuugi. And that deck is the deck I used to win every duel monsters tournament in the last 10 years almost.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Yuugi.” Atem grinned. “And now I really really want that deck.”

“You’re not getting it,” Kaiba scoffed getting an elbow to the side from Atem. 

“If you’re going to be so negative, you can go outside.”

“Can I help him?” Kaiba asked Yuugi who laughed. 

“You sure can! He’s not going to win.”

Kaiba completely rearranged Atem’s pieces and stepped back. “There.”

“Is that all the help I’m getting?” Atem sighed.

“For now.”

They began to play and Kaiba watched on feeling a little bit like himself again. Atem was a quick learner, but Yuugi was using Kaiba’s strategy. And he was right, it was damn near ironclad, but since he knew that was the strategy, he could help Atem out. It made it difficult that he couldn’t just play for him, and even more difficult that he couldn’t make it look like he knew the strategy. So he watched, only helping out when Atem was about to make a stupid move. 

The game was long, just as he suspected. An hour passed before they were close to the end of the game. Atem had Yuugi where he wanted him, but so did Yuugi. Ten more minutes in, and they ended up in a tied game. Yuugi looked up at Atem with narrowed eyes. “How did you do that? Did Mokuba put you up to this?”

“What?”

“You figured out the strategy and you both seem really familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?” Kaiba and Atem looked at each other when Yuugi pulled out his phone. “I’m going to kill him. I already told him he couldn’t have it.”

They both lurched over the counter to stop that from happening. “Wait!”

Just as quickly as they moved, they retracted, realizing that was probably a little too much. Atem gave him a sheepish grin. “Don’t call Mokuba. We’re actually paying hookie right now.”

“So he did-”

“No,” Kaiba insisted, “He’s having dinner with my parents. We were supposed to go too but we wanted to stop by here.”

“Why?”

Atem rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at Kaiba. “We needed better cards like I told you.”

Yuugi didn’t seem to buy that at all. Not that he would if he was in his place, but what else were they supposed to say? He put the phone away and looked down at the Stratego board. Atem lowered his hand and shrugged his shoulders. “We could play again?”

“I have to close soon,” Yuugi said, smiling, “or I would.”

“How about you let me borrow the deck? I’ll bring it back after the tournament is over.”

“I have no way of guaranteeing that.”

“Mokuba knows where we’re staying at. He can vouch for us.” 

Yuugi’s face lit up and he snapped his fingers. “Corbin Anderson! You’re the guy who he’s been talking about!” 

Kaiba flinched at the name and forced a smile. “Yes that’s me.”

“How do you know Japanese so well? He said you were from America.”

“Took some classes.”

Yuugi wasn’t buying that either, but he didn’t say anything about it. Instead he walked over to the glass case and unlocked it to fish the deck out. He held it out to Atem and smiled. “Bring it back, and please don’t lose with it.”

He laughed, taking it from Yuugi, shaking slightly. “Thank you. I promise I will bring it back. Can’t promise I won’t lose though.”

Yuugi smiled, and Kaiba thought he saw something in it. “You won’t lose. Not if you can pick up Stratego and play it as well as Seto without ever touching it before.”

He looked over at Kaiba with a sad smile then back to Yuugi. “I hope your faith isn’t misplaced.”

Yuugi waved him off and started to walk around the counter. “Now get out of here before you have Mokuba mad at me too.”

He ushered them out of the shop and waved a final goodbye before locking the door behind them. Atem held the deck to his chest and walked to the street. “We could get a cab again.”

“Not from here,” Kaiba sighed, “We’ll have to walk.”

“Still worth it.”


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning he woke up to Atem sitting on the bed shuffling through Yuugi’s deck of cards with a dorky grin on his face. He wasn’t awake enough to deal with him, so he shuffled out of bed and immediately smelled coffee. Not just hotel coffee, but good coffee. “Where is it?”

“On the desk,” Atem snickered, looking up from the deck to watch him cross the room. “Thank you.”

Kaiba picked up the cup and sighed; content. It was still piping hot, just like he liked it. “For what?” He brought it to his lips and breathed it in when Atem got off the bed. 

“For helping me with that game, and for walking back here.”

“I’m going to regret it, I'm sure.”

“That’s why you have coffee.”

“I'm going to need 50 more of these,” he muttered, grabbing his clothes for the day. ”Where’s Liam and Sylia?”

“In the lobby having breakfast, I think. We need to get ready for the qualifiers.”

“Goodee,” he mocked and stalked towards the bathroom, coffee still in his hands.

Kaiba got ready for the day quickly; much quicker than Atem (who had to have everything just perfect for who knew what reason). Kaiba sat on the bed waiting for him and shuffling through his own deck. He groaned at it, fighting the urge to throw it out the hotel window. No one would win anything with this deck that’s for damn sure. Not that it mattered. He’d still be able to get somewhere, and that’s all he needed. He just needed to qualify. 

Kaiba started to get up from the bed, when he looked into the mirror across from the bathroom door. Atem STILL sat in the bathroom vanity, putting on eyeliner. Since when did it take him an hour to do that? He huffed, slipping the cards into his bag. “I don’t know why you’re doing that.”

“Yuugi’s going to be there.”

“Cute, but I don’t think so.”

He heard Atem moving stuff around from the other room, sighing, “he wasn’t, but I think he will be now.”

“So he can see you royally lose?”

Atem laughed. “Yes. That’s exactly what’s going to happen. I told you I was rusty.”

Kaiba laughed, crossing his arms over his chest. He remembered the first game he played with Atem back in Illinois. It was an absolute disaster. When he said ‘rusty’, what he meant was he’d completely forgotten how to play. “Rusty? Ha! You better qualify. You got your deck like you wanted and used as your excuse for the last three months.”

“It’s true though! I only used that one.”

“I’m pretty sure I was wrong about you for the last 10 years. It’s always been Yuugi who won those games, wasn’t it?”

Atem leaned around the corner, locks of hair falling onto his nose as he grinned. “We were able to see the game from two very different perspectives allowing us to make better decisions. I wouldn’t say it was either of us being better than the other.” Then he disappeared back into the bathroom, humming, “However he did beat me the last game we played so I’ll let you draw your own conclusions there.”

Kaiba got off the bed and walked over to the bathroom doorway. “We need to go or you won’t get a chance to lose.”

Atem glared at himself in the mirror and threw the eyeliner down, ignoring it when it rolled back at him onto the ground. “I know, I know.”

They grabbed their things and left, heading down to the lobby where Sylia and Liam both waited. They gave them both hugs and drug them out the door, saying they were late. Kaiba already knew they were late. They took a cab to the tournament facility and stood in a long line for registration. After registering they waited for the slots to be announced then split up to go to their respective games. The games were short for the first round, much to his delight. Kaiba won all five of his. Atem did as well. They had a small break and he found him again, standing and talking to Yuugi. So he actually did show up. 

“There you are!” Yuugi waved, grinning ear to ear. “You’re both doing great!”

Kaiba scoffed, “So far.”

“Next round should be pretty easy too.” Yuugi shrugged. “Then it’ll get interesting.”

“I hope so. This deck sucks and I’m winning.”

“That means you’re a great player.”

“It means everyone has a worse deck than mine.”

He giggled, making Atem smile at him. Kaiba shook his head and started to say something when the next round was announced over the speakers. “See you soon,” Yuugi waved them goodbye and scampered away.

Atem gave Kaiba a nod and walked away too. 

Kaiba trudged over to where he needed to go, dreading it. But he won every game that round and the round after that. Just like Yuugi said, the next round was more difficult. He won 3 of 5. The fifth round meant being entered into the tournament and Kaiba was a little nervous. He lost two last round to better decks, but he thought he might squeak through… barely. Atem was still winning every game. After the fuss he made about that deck, he better be. 

The final game of the fifth round was the deciding factor for Kaiba, and he hated every second of it. His opponents deck sucked worse than his, but he was very good at the game. He almost felt guilty when he won. Almost. So he qualified. Atem did too. 

Kaiba Corp. had a party at the end for all the qualifiers, but he didn’t want any part of it. One, he hated parties, and two, Atem was off with Yuugi somewhere leaving him to himself and his thoughts. Which he preferred, normally, but he still felt like an impostor sitting at a table watching the others converse while he drank a gin and tonic. At least they had alcohol there. 

“Hey! There you are!” 

Kaiba turned to see Mokuba standing not far from him, walking over with Liam right beside him. Mokuba sat down, grinning ear to ear. “You weren’t lying about being good. I’m glad I invited you.”

“Thank you.”

Liam shifted in the seat beside him and patted him on the back. “I’m impressed that’s for sure. I’m surprised Red isn’t here.”

“He’s off somewhere with Yuugi.”

Kaiba stiffened. He should have said something else, anything else, and Mokuba’s smirk made that painfully clear. “I saw. I’m actually shocked he’s here. Last I talked to Yuugi, he said he’d rather run out into oncoming traffic than come here.”

“Really?”

“Yep. I also noticed Red has Yuugi’s deck.”

Kaiba didn’t say anything to that and chose to sip his drink. 

“Wonder when he got it?”

“Beats me.”

Mokuba’s smirk was downright criminal as he turned to look at Red and Yuugi, talking and laughing. “It’s good to see him out and about though. The last few years were rough for him.”

Kaiba tightened his grip on the glass, not allowing it to leave his lips. He wanted to ask Mokuba if he was still game designing for Kaiba Corp. but thought better of it. Mokuba turned back around and smiled. “Well I better get to my job. It was nice spending the day with you, Liam. I’ll see you both at the tournament.”

“Of course!” Liam said and waited until Mokuba was out of ear shot before turning to Kaiba. “Are you okay?”

“...No.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

He sighed and shook his head, before taking another drink. Liam patted him on the shoulder and leaned back in the chair. “At least the worst of this is over. You’ve spent a good amount of time with your brother and you’re handling it well… visibly anyway.”

“The worst isn't over,” Kaiba murmured and closed his eyes. 

Jou wasn’t there and Mokuba didn’t mention him at all, neither did Yuugi, and the implications as to why made his head reel. Then again, they had no reason to bring him up. So he remained in this limbo like state of terror and agony. Being around Mokuba more and more kept making him feel worse and worse too. Maybe coming here was a bad idea. At least Atem was enjoying himself. 

“Who else did you have here that you’re avoiding?”

Kaiba started to answer when he heard _ him _. Jou came barreling through the crowd and tackled Yuugi in a big hug, shouting about how happy he was that he was there. Like the overly excited and meddling person he was, he became immediately interested in Atem. He asked him who he was and where he was from, and most importantly, how he knew Yuugi. 

Kaiba couldn’t breathe. His vision blurred. His grip on his glass tightened and he could feel his hands shaking. Part of him wanted him to look his way and the other part realized what that would mean. He panicked. He could hear his heart beating in his ears; feel his lungs screaming for air. He just couldn’t get any. No mater what he did he couldn't breathe. The glass shattered in his hand with a loud pop and he bolted up from the chair. He didn’t hear anything, but Jou’s voice as he ran from the room, talking to Atem about who he came with.

## \---

If it weren’t for Liam, he had no idea where he would’ve ended up. Liam steered him to a cab, brought him back to the hotel and bandaged up his hand. The glass cut him pretty bad. He didn’t even notice how much he was bleeding until Liam wrapped his jacket around his hand in the cab. He didn’t say anything and Kaiba was really thankful for that as he tried to get a grip on everything going on in his head. 

After he calmed down enough to breathe and really feel the aching sting in his hand, Liam sat on the foot of the bed, looking at him with a strange frown. Kaiba glared at that frown, hoping he’d go away. “Stop looking at me like that. I’m fine.”

“You just crushed a highball glass in your hand, Seto. That’s not fine. I’m not even sure how you did it. I tried once in college for a bet and couldn’t do it.”

“It was probably faulty.”

“I’m debating on taking you to a hospital over that.”

“Don’t.”

“What else can I do? You had a panic attack and broke a glass. Do we need to leave? This was supposed to help you.”

Kaiba buried his face in the crook of his arm, resting over his knee that he brought to his chest. “This conversation isn’t helping.”

“If you were in my place, what would you do?”

“I would have kicked me out after I found out I wasn’t your son.”

“You are my son.”

“NO! I’m not!”

Liam just stared at him, then sighed, “That poor kid. You’re always like this, aren’t you?”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You're always this confrontational and cynical. I thought it was because you were-” Liam gestured to the room like that meant something- “I don’t know how to explain it. Dead but not dead. But that’s not it at all. This is just how you are.”

“Exactly. So leave me alone.”

Liam leaned over, making Kaiba look up at him. “Alright. I’ll play ball. You can either talk to me about this, or I’ll call someone who I know will get through to you.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. “Are you threatening me?”

“Yes.”

When Kaiba locked his jaw and glared at him further, Liam pulled out his phone, showed him the contact for Mokuba and hit dial. Kaiba looked at the phone then Liam and tried to snatch it away. He pulled it back and hit the speaker button. 

“I hate you,” Kaiba spat.

“Good. Now you know what it’s like to have a father. I’m not here to be your friend. I’m here to take care of you and support you. So what’ll it be?”

Mokuba picked up. “Mr. Anderson! Are you alright? I saw you guys leave pretty fast. Sylia was looking for you.”

He paused and waited, but Kaiba wasn’t backing down. 

“Hello?”

He looked at the phone and sighed. Just hearing Mokuba on the phone made the whole thing start up again. His chest tightened, his hands shook and he had a hard time breathing. He couldn’t do this forever. Liam had him right where he wanted him. “Fine. You win.”

Liam grinned and turned towards the phone. “Yes, Mr. Kaiba, we’re alright. Had a glass problem. It broke and I had to get Corbin to a doctor, but no big deal. Some Bandaids and he’s fine. I already called Sylia a few minutes ago. I just wanted to apologize for the way we left.”

“It’s no trouble at all. Will he be alright for the tournament?”

“He will.”

“Good. I’ll see you both then.”

“See you then.”

He hung up and put the phone back into his pocket. “Alright.”

Kaiba couldn’t believe he was doing this, but it was the only way to get him to leave him alone and not call Mokuba again. He didn’t want to have another panic attack talking to him either. This had to be blackmail.

“So talk to me,” Liam said softly, “Why did you lock up like that?”

“I saw Jou.”

“And?”

“Jou was my boyfriend.”

“...And?”

“Look, I’m not explaining my whole life story to you! How would you feel if this happened to you and you ran into Sylia after almost 3 years?”

Liam’s body language completely changed to understanding and he nodded. He didn’t say anything for a while, narrowing his eyes at Atem’s bed. When he turned back to look at Kaiba, he smirked. “I’m not sure I'd break a high ball glass.”

“You wouldn’t need to.”

“How do you mean?”

Kaiba just shook his head. “Sylia’s not an emotionally driven idiot who likes attention.”

Liam started laughing, but Kaiba didn’t think it was funny. He rubbed his nose and let his laughter fade into a sigh, “No she’s not, but he sounds great.”

He was. He _ is _. And it might’ve taken him years and a traumatic out of body experience to realize that, but the fact still stood. Jou would have a field day if he knew what was going on. Kaiba had changed a lot because of this. Changed in ways that Jou had wanted. Atem was right. He worked when he was upset or stressed. He had an explanation now that Jou would understand, one he couldn’t put into words before. He understood a lot more now why their anniversary was so important. It was the one and only day he asked Kaiba to pick him over everything else. He gave him 364 days to do whatever he needed, but Kaiba couldn’t give him one fucking day. He’d give him every day to take all of this back, but he couldn’t, no matter how badly he wanted to. 

Glaring at the cuff on his wrist, he knew Jou wanted that too. He believed this warped family philosophy just like Liam and Sylia did. Kaiba spent three years with Jou, keeping the mindset that the bottom line was him and Mokuba, but it stopped being just them at some point. He never realized that before either. Not that it mattered now, and that’s why he felt the way he did. He never gave Jou a reason to need him back, while he had _ every _ reason to need him.

“If you’re this worried about him, why don’t you just talk to him?”

“He’s better off without me. You said so yourself, I’m confrontational and cynical. I was worse with him.”

“Maybe.” 

“Aren’t you supposed to be supportive?”

Liam laughed. “Well you might be right. I don’t know.”

“There is no ‘might be’. I am right.”

“Even if you are, that doesn’t mean he sees it that way.” Liam leaned back on his hand and frowned, deep in thought. “I think, if this happened to me, I’d want to make sure that Sylia was happy. Even if it hurt. I want her to be happy.”

Kaiba thought that was pretty noble of him to say. It might be because he wasn’t actually in this situation that he felt that way, but then again, Liam was that kind of person. Kaiba wasn’t. He didn’t want to know Jou was happy. Just thinking about it made his whole body tense and fury burn in his veins. “...I don’t.

“So what are you going to do about it?”

“Break glasses.”

“You could do that, or you could try and get him back.”

“What if I can’t?”

“Now who’s the one telling you what you can’t do?”

Kaiba looked up at him, glaring at his amused smirk. 

“I still think you can do anything.” Liam patted his knee and stood up from the bed. “And you still have me and your mother, no matter what.”

Kaiba watched him stand and collect his things from the desk before turning to him. He sighed and gave him a fond smile. “Red should be back soon. So enjoy the silence while you got it.”

Kaiba nodded, and glared at the foot of the bed.

Liam walked over to the door and opened it, calling back to him as he walked out. “Don’t break anything.”

He thought about throwing something at the door, but couldn’t find anything within reach that he wouldn’t have to pay for. So he just sat there, debating on whether to turn the television on or take a shower. His hand still hurt, so the television won.

\----

The next day Kaiba woke up to an empty room. He rolled over, smelling the coffee again. On the nightstand was a cup of coffee with a message written on the cardboard sleeve. ‘Jou’s not seeing anyone, stop moping.’

He muttered a string of curses as he sat up in bed. He wasn’t moping… Grabbing the coffee cup, he tore the sleeve off, throwing it into the small trash can beside the bed. He thought about leaving the coffee sit on the nightstand and refuse to drink it, but it smelled too good. So he swore under his breath again and then drank it. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was relieved Atem did that. He started to feel like he owed Atem more than he could ever repay and he hated being in debt like that.

After getting ready, he made his way down to the lobby where he’d assumed everyone was. He wasn’t wrong. Liam and Sylia sat at a small table in the lobby talking to Atem and Yuugi. He frowned seeing Yuugi there. That was fast. When he approached the table, all of them turned to smile at him. “There you are!” Liam said, standing. 

“I was about to send Red to get you.” Sylia stood as well, walking around to give him a hug. “Good morning, honey! Are you ready for the tournament?”

“As ready as I’m going to be.”

“Well we better get going,” Yuugi said, walking to the doors, “Mokuba wanted me to take you to the ceremony. He has special seats for us.”

“That’s exciting!” Sylia linked her arm with Kaiba and pulled him after them. 

They took a limo to the tournament and walked to the special seating area that Yuugi had mentioned. He said his goodbyes to them, insisting he had somewhere else to be. Even with Atem asking him, he just smiled and continued to be vague about it. So when the ceremony started, Kaiba was surprised to see him on the stage with Mokuba. They did a speech for the tournament to start, but also announced a new game that Yuugi created. Kaiba grinned. So Yuugi was still game designing.

When the tournament started, he didn’t have a lot of hope he’d get anywhere, but he actually made it a little over half way. He counted that as a miracle. The rest of the tournament, he watched Atem beat everyone he played against with Liam and Sylia. Mokuba and Yuugi watched him play the final game with curious grins from a platform across the facility. Yuugi looked so proud of him even though the final game, Atem lost. 

The ceremony afterwards, Kaiba sat with Sylia and Liam, smiling as Atem got the reward for second place. It happened to be a pretty good chunk of money that neither of them were expecting. When everything ended, he assumed they were going back to the hotel. Following Liam towards the front, he kept looking back for Atem to show up. Were they leaving without him?

“If you want to stay you can, honey?” Sylia asked before yawning.

He started to decline when Atem ran up to them. “Are you leaving?”

“We’re beat,” Liam snickered, wrapping his arm around Sylia.

“It’s been a long day. Get some rest.” Atem smiled at them, then turned to look at Kaiba. “Do you want to come to the bar with us?”

“I-”

“Go have fun honey! We’ll see you both later.”

Sylia kissed his cheek and they walked towards the cars. Kaiba waited until they were out of earshot before glaring at Atem. “Who’s ‘we’?”

“All your favorite people.” 

“I hate you.”

“You can’t hate me. I got you coffee and snooped for you.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes and gestured for him to lead the way. Atem was more than pleased with that and lead him over to a cab. They drove to a hole in the wall bar on the outskirts of the city. It looked packed but Atem insisted they were already waiting for them. When they walked in, Kaiba wrinkled his nose. The place was dirty and hazy. The smell of alcohol, smoke and fried food assaulted his nose and he tried not to breathe in too deeply. In the back of the bar a group of hands shot up and Atem smiled. “There they are.”

He followed Atem over to the table of ‘his favorite people’ indeed. Anzu sat on the back corner of the booth wall above everyone else waving at them. “Hey!”

Kaiba nodded to her, looking around at the rest of them. Ryou, Honda and Otogi sat on the left side of the curved booth, while Yuugi sat on the right. A lone chair sat in front of the table and Kaiba opted to take that. He spun it around, pressing the back of the chair against the table to keep out of the way from people clamoring drunkenly around the bar. Yuugi smiled at them and scooted over for Atem to sit beside him. “I’m glad you found the place. It’s a little out of the way.”

Honda laughed. “It’s a lot out of the way.”

“But it’s our favorite place to go,” Otogi said, drinking some of his beer.

“It really is! It’s a lot busier tonight with the tournament and all.” Ryou gave Kaiba a polite smile. “So what’s your names?”

Yuugi gasped and sat up straighter. “Oh shit! I’m sorry. This is Corbin, and this is Red. Corbin is Mokuba’s new engineer and Red just got second place in the tournament.”

“With your deck right?” Anzu winked at him. “Nice!”

Yuugi continued, gesturing to everyone. “And this is Ryou,” Ryou waved, “Honda,” he lifted his beer, “Otogi,” he wiggled his eyebrows, beer still at his lips, “Anzu,” she raised her shoulders with a sweet smile, “And you already know me.”

Ryou smiled at them nodding his head towards the bar. “Jou should be here any minute. He’s getting us another round.”

“We didn’t know what you’d like, but Yuugi had some suggestions,” Anzu said, pressing the palms of her hands on either side of her legs to lean forward, “We also got a round of shots”

“Shots! Shots! Shots!” Honda and Otogi shouted, lifting themselves up in the booth a little to look behind Kaiba at the bar.

“I’m goin’!”

Kaiba stiffened as he heard Jou’s shout from somewhere behind him. He need to already be a few shots in to deal with all of this. Anzu leaned forward, her hair swishing over their shoulders. “So Corbin’s an engineer, right?”

Kaiba nodded.

“What do you do Red?”

Atem grinned and put his elbows on the table. “I’m a makeup artist. I used to own my own salon.”

Anzu lit up. “Really?! That would explain why your hair and eyeliner look so good!”

Yuugi nodded. “Right?!”

Otogi leaned over the table and pointed at Atem’s eyeliner. “How do you keep it from smearing?”

“I use an obnoxiously expensive eyeliner.” He laughed, then shook his head. “Actually I found that using really cheap black eyeshadow keeps it from moving.”

“Wouldn’t that get everywhere?” Anzu frowned.

“Not if you do it right.”

“And that’s why you get paid to do it.” 

Kaiba snickered and shook his head. He didn’t understand the appeal but they obviously did. Atem looked particularly proud talking about it so he’d leave him alone… this time. 

“So what do all of you do?” Atem asked, looking around at all of them.

Otogi perked up like he always fucking did when someone asked him about his work. “I own my own gaming company. Want to hear about it?”

Immediately everyone groaned. Honda shoved his shoulder. “He doesn’t want to hear bout it.”

“Even if he does, WE don’t want to hear about it,” Ryou giggled.

Otogi leaned over the table and held out a business card, but Yuugi snatched it before Atem could get it. “Thanks.”

He glared at Yuugi’s mischievous smile and took a swig of his beer. Honda hit Anzu’s leg and grinned. “She’s the one with all the interesting stuff going on.”

“I am not.”

“Yes you are!” Yuugi said, “You’re going to be on Broadway!”

“Really?” Atem smiled at her. “That’s incredible!”

“It kind of is, isn't it?” She blushed and swung her legs, hitting the back of the chair. “This could be my big break.”

“She’s already met some famous celebs,” Honda said hitting her leg again, “Tell them about time you met Hugh Jackman.”

Kaiba heard this story before so he wasn’t paying attention. Instead he was looking at Jou by the bar, happily chatting with the bartender. He didn’t like how the bartender was looking at Jou at all, but he couldn’t do anything about it. The bartender put three glass beer bottles on the bar for him and he scooped them up quickly. A young woman from behind the bar followed Jou around, with a large tray above her head. He emerged from the crowded bar to follow her, taking a swig of beer on his way over to them. 

Kaiba felt like he was seeing him for the first time all over again. Well, not the first time he met him, but the first time he realized he liked him. He remembered that day vividly; mostly because he couldn’t believe it happened at all. Yuugi invited him over for his 19th birthday party and Mokuba black mailed him into going. He went alright, but he hated every second of the drive over, the walk up to the front door and the bombardments of ‘holy shit you actually came’ from literally everyone there. Everyone except Jou. Who he got a ‘what the fuck are you doing here’ from, if he remembered right.

Yuugi made him play a drinking game with all of them. He sat on the opposite side of the table from Jou and right beside Yuugi and Mokuba. The more they played and the more they drank, the more Jou kept drawing his attention to him. At first he was making fun of him, like he always did, but as the game went on, he started to find the goofy shit Jou was doing funny instead of annoying. That’s when something changed, and to this very day he still didn’t know why. He started having fun. He was having a lot of fun messing with Jou. He stopped really noticing anyone else in the room but him, and that scared him enough to start cheating at the game; switching out his drinks for water so he could keep having fun and not ended up a pile of moosh on the floor. Still drunk, just not moosh.

When Mokuba decided it was time to go home, he remembered Jou smiling at him in a way he’d never noticed before. He realized then, he liked him. He spent the next three weeks trying to get that smile out of his head. He was drunk, whatever he was thinking or feeling should have disappeared when his hangover did, but it never did. Even now, watching Jou walk over to them with his crooked grin, he still felt the same way. 

“Corbin! Did you hear what I said?”

Admittedly, he didn’t turn around like he should have. He had to have Atem hit him in the shoulder before he finally realized they were talking to him. It was still weird being called that name. “Yes, you spilled water all over him. Why did you stop telling the story?”

All of them leaned back a little when he turned around to look at them. “You were actually listening to me?” she gasped.

“Yes. Why?”

Atem snickered, “I told you he does that all the time.”

“I do what all the time?”

“Look like you’re not paying attention when you actually are.”

Kaiba felt like he’d been caught, but couldn’t figure out why he felt that way. Yuugi giggled. “It’s okay. We get it.”

“Yeah a friend of ours used to do that all the time,” Honda said.

“Speaking of that friend time to shut up about it,” Otogi whispered into his beer. Kaiba almost missed it.

Jou came up and jumped up over the booth back to slide down beside Yuugi in his typical haphazard way. He somehow managed to not shake up the beers and set them in front of Otogi and Honda. “What’d I miss?”

“I was telling Corbin and Red about my Hugh Jackman story.”

“Love that one!”

Yuugi snickered and leaned against Jou. “So this is Jou.”

“Hey!”

“Hey!” Atem laughed, but all Kaiba could do was nod. Talking just felt like a bad idea.

The young woman with the tray set it down on the table with a bunch of drinks and shots on it. Yuugi grabbed a Margarita, Anzu grabbed what looked like a Martini and Ryou grabbed a Manhattan. Atem smiled at the bottle of Imperial stout. “Who’s that for?”

“You,” Yuugi said taking a sip of his drink, “I thought you’d like that one.”

Kaiba frowned at the gin and tonic, fearing he’d break the glass again, but this should be better this time, right? He reached out and took it with his bandaged hand, getting a weird look from Yuugi. “What happened?”

“My glass broke at the qualifiers.”

“Wow! Those glasses are thick!”

Kaiba saw Atem grin into his beer. So Liam told him what happened. That’s just great. “Yeah they are.”

“Just don’t make things like they used to, huh?” Anzu sighed.

He shook his head and sipped the drink. This one was stronger than the one the night before. Tasted better too. Maybe this was a better bar than he thought it was. Ryou shifted in his seat humming in delight from his drink. “Anyway, we didn’t finish telling you what we do. I’m going for my PhD in psychology and working at Domino University as a professor.”

“Oh wow. I’d better watch what I say around you then,” Atem snickered, getting a defiant look from Ryou. 

He slumped against the booth. “Oh no. Don’t you do that too.”

Yuugi and Jou burst into fits of laughter. “We tell him that all the time.”

Atem shook his head at them. “What about you Honda?” 

“I now this is super original and all but, I’m a stunt driver.” 

“That’s really cool.”

“It is! I get to drive some of the coolest cars they make, and my buddy Jou over here works on them.”

“I’m just a mechanic.” He shrugged. “That ain’t excitin’.”

“Don’t be modest,” Anzu teased.

“He’s the finest mechanic in the country. All of the companies cars I work for are serviced by his shop.”

“It’s just a shop.”

Kaiba’s stomach fell. That was something they were supposed to do together. 

“Just a shop. Yeah alright,” Yuugi scoffed, getting a sharp jab from Jou. “Ooo okay, game on. It’s not at all just a shop. He opened it a few years ago and he’s already beating out business from all the other shops in the city.”

“That’s ‘cause o’ Mokuba.”

“No. It’s because you’re good.”

Jou sat up and held his arms out stopping them from bragging for him. “Alright, it’s a good shop. Happy? So what do you guys do?”

“Red’s a makeup artist.”

“He owned his own Salon!” Anzu said, beaming.

“And Corbin is an engineer for Kaiba Corp.”

“Corbin…” Jou blinked at him, “that’s ringin’ a bell.”

“He’s one of the guys who designed the engine for the jet.”

Jou’s expression completely changed. He smiled at him like he’d done the nicest thing anyone has ever done for him. “Thank ya for that.”

“Why does everyone keep thanking me like that?”

Jou pursed his lips, like he shouldn’t be answering that question then looked down at his beer. “It’s gonna prove that Kaiba didn’t mess it up.”

“Mess what up?”

Anzu turned to him, tilting her head to the side and letting her hair shift over her shoulder. “I’m sure you heard about the jet crash that happened here a few years ago.”

“Yeah.”

“Moki and I think someone hijacked it and made it crash,” Jou explained, “That plan’s gonna prove Kaiba wasn’t the one who messed it up. Someone else did.”

Kaiba started to ask something, but Atem beat him to it. “What do you mean? Wouldn’t you need his original plans?”

All of them shook their heads. Jou shrugged his shoulders. “The theory goes; the jet lost power ‘n crashed, but Moki ‘n I both knew he had backup power in it. It never shoulda crashed.”

“Faulty wiring would’ve done that,” Kaiba said.

Jou glared at him. “Yeah. It coulda, but it didn’t.”

Kaiba knew Jou well enough to know that answer meant there was a very good reason why it didn’t, but he couldn’t explain it if he tried. This was something he’d probably need to talk to Mokuba about. Now he felt like like he should apologize for insinuating that it was his fault; but up to now, he thought it was. 

“If it was faulty wiring the computer system wouldn’t ‘o showed us exactly what was goin’ on when it was too late for us ta do anythin’ ‘bout it.” Jou took a long gulp of beer, leaning back, and the whole table went silent. 

Kaiba just blinked at him. They knew what was happening? He couldn’t imagine how horrific that would be, to see it happening and not be able to do anything about it. He just assumed everything went dead. The silence didn’t sit well with him and he thought about leaving, but he couldn’t leave it the way it was. 

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t need your-”

“No,” Kaiba said sternly, and frowned at him, “I’m sorry for insinuating it was his own fault.”

Atem quirked a brow at him, but didn’t say anything.

Jou’s expression changed, but he had no idea what he was thinking. He waved him off and shook his head. “It’s fine. I’m sure he thought it was too.”

Kaiba had to stop himself from laughing at how ironic that was. So he shoved the drink into his mouth as fast as he could to hide his smile, clinking the glass against his teeth. Anzu took a deep breath and clapped. “Sooo... Shots?”

Honda and Otogi lit up. “Shots shots shots!”

Ryou and Yuugi giggled, taking a shot glass from the tray. Everyone took one and Anzu raised hers up. “To new friends!”

Kaiba wasn’t the only one who found that ironic. Atem started laughing and raised his shot glass. “To new friends.”

They all drank and set the glasses down on the table. Kaiba noticed Yuugi and Anzu both making faces at the shots and giggling. Yuugi coughed. “What was that?”

“Whiskey. What else?” Jou snickered, setting the glass down on the tray.

“Why can’t you get fruity shots? You know they make them right?” Anzu giggled.

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“We should do tequila shots,” Yuugi said.

Otogi lifted himself up in the seat and waved down the waitress. “Hey gorgeous! Another round? Tequila.”

“Sure thing baby.”

Otogi waited until she left and winked at him. “That’s my girlfriend.”

Honda laughed, shaking his head. “Not even close.”

“She called me baby.”

“She called you an asshole last week.”

“Ah, the banter of lovers,” Otogi sighed, before taking a drink of his beer.

Kaiba watched Jou shrink further into the booth.

“So, Red,” Yuugi said to him with a smile, “You said you owned a salon? What happened, if it’s okay my asking?”

Atem looked up and started stumbling over his words when Kaiba scoffed. “It’s not that complicated. We were planning on moving and it wasn’t the right place for it.”

“You got that right,” Atem said, bitterly, “Everyone there has no sense of style.”

“And there’s maybe 1 person for every field of corn.”

Atem started laughing, “So much corn.”

“Corn?” Yuugi asked more out of disbelief.

Atem laughed again and turned to Yuugi. “It’s great. You drive down the highway and it’s corn, corn, corn, house, corn, corn, corn, random city, corn, corn, corn.”

Kaiba started laughing too. That’s exactly how it was. “It’s actually not ‘random city’, it’s random conglomerate of houses that might also be businesses, but you’re not really sure.”

Atem turned to grin at Yuugi. “My favorite besides all the massive amounts of corn is how everyone talks.”

Yuugi’s eyes sparkled. “Like how?”

_ “Jeet yet?” _

Kaiba made the same clicking sound that Jake made at him when he’d visit the auto shop. _ “You betcha.” _

“What does any of that even mean?!” Yuugi almost shouted, staring at him like he’d gone crazy.

Atem was laughing so hard he couldn’t talk. Kaiba snickered and shook his head. “It means we’ve been there too long.”

“I just assumed everyone talked like this idiot.” Honda gestured to Jou; who looked just as amused as Yuugi by Atem and Kaiba’s conversation.

Atem laughed. “No. Everyone talks differently there depending on where you live, just like anywhere else.”

“Were you guys born here?” Anzu asked, “You speak Japanese really well.”

Atem and Kaiba’s laughter died in that question as they stared at each other trying to figure out how to answer that. Atem turned to her and smiled. “I used to live here a long time ago for a little bit, but I kept up with it.”

“What about you Corbin?”

Yuugi smiled. “Classes.”

“And dealing with him,” Kaiba said, side eyeing Atem.

“How long ya been friends?” Jou asked.

Atem looked like he loved the question. “We’ve been friends since grade school but had a falling out in high school.”

Anzu quirked an eyebrow at them. “But your friends now?”

“Yes. He-”

“Shots are up! Anyone need another drink?” the waitress asked, replacing the empty tray for a full one.

“More beer please!” Otogi said, handing her his, Honda’s, and Joey’s empty bottles.

“Sure thing. Anyone else?”

Everyone ordered another alcoholic drink, except him. He asked for a water. He was still drinking his gin and tonic, and didn’t think getting drunk with all that was going on in his head at the moment was a good plan. When she walked away, Anzu cleared her throat. “So anyway, you’re friends now?”

“Yeah. He finally got his shit together.”

Kaiba knew where this was going, but he didn’t get a chance to comment. Yuugi narrowed his eyes at Atem. “You mean you got _ your _ shit together?”

“No. It wasn’t me.”

“Corbin looks like the picture perfect of put together,” Anzu laughed.

Kaiba grinned at that, completely forgetting that this conversation could turn on him. 

“Yeah,” Jou laughed. “Are we talkin’ ‘bout the same guy?”

Otogi shrugged. “Could be relationship trouble, if you know what I mean.”

Everyone at the table made a sound of understanding, just to have Kaiba roll his eyes. Atem was almost on the floor, laughing. Kaiba turned to glare at him, sighing through his nose. “I hope you’re happy.”

“So it’s not that?” Yuugi asked, still giggling at Atem.

He shook his head and calmed down. He turned to Kaiba and grinned. “I’ll stop. I promise.”

“It’s too late now,” Kaiba growled, gesturing with his head to their eyes all on him. 

Atem sighed and turned to face everyone. “We’re friends again, because Corbin went into a coma three years ago, and after I lost my salon, his family helped me out. There. Is that better?”

“YOU WERE IN A COMA?!” 

Kaiba flinched and felt like the entire bar was staring at him. He should have left earlier when he had the chance. “Yes I was.”

“Oh my god! What happened?” Anzu gasped, putting her hands over her chest. 

“Did you get into a car accident?” Honda asked, ironically, “Were you sick?”

Kaiba picked up his drink and decided it was better to just go with it. “No, I OD'd on heroin.”

Through the collective gasp Atem turned and frowned at him. “You didn’t need to tell them that.”

“Why not?” Kaiba said then, murmured so only Atem could hear him, “This night is going great already.”

He figured he’d get some changed looks or maybe even an ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘what were you thinking’ or something like that, but Jou leaned over the table and grinned at him. “Wait a sec. So what you're tellin’ me is ya fucked up your whole life, got put into a coma and woke up ta help your ol’ man with engine plans that made ya family rich?”

“Well… when you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous.”

Atem nodded. “He fixed the dishwasher, Lincoln Towncar, lawn mower, refrigerator, an SUV, and the garage door before that.”

“The SUV was after that, wasn’t it?”

“... I can’t remember.”

“Ya work on cars too?” Jou asked, still smiling. 

“I can.”

Jou leaned back and made a pleasant sound. “Now I get it. Look I gotta go.” Yuugi started to protest but Jou just shoved his shoulder. “I gotta work in the mornin’ and it’s like 11. I’ll talk ta ya later. It was good meetin’ ya both.”

Kaiba just nodded and watched him shoot the Tequila. He then climbed out of the booth and made his way over to the bar to give the bartender some cash, disappearing in the crowd. Kaiba heard some shuffling at the table and expected everyone else to start a round of ‘I need to go’ as well, but they didn’t. Instead, when he turned around, he saw them all smiling after Jou with mournful looks. “Man. This sucks,” Honda said, sighing.

“Poor Jou.” Anzu dropped into the booth beside Otogi, to lean on his shoulder. 

Yuugi leaned forward and smiled at Kaiba. “You didn’t do anything to upset him. He’s like this all the time.”

“I’m pretty sure it was something I said.”

“You didn’t say anything wrong.” Ryou smiled. “You just reminded him of Kaiba.”

“I take it that’s a bad thing?” Atem asked, but Kaiba was well on his way to breaking another glass.

“No! Not at all,” Yuugi looked conflicted for a moment and turned to Ryou. Ryou nodded to him, so Yuugi sighed and brushed his hair out of his face. “I don’t know if you know this or not but Jou and Kaiba were dating for three years before he died. They were actually going on a vacation the day of the accident. He’s… he’s still grieving, I guess is the best way to put it.”

“He’s a lot better than he was,” Anzu said widening her eyes dramatically as if remembering it was too much.

All of them made sounds of agreement and nodded to that like they’d never heard anything more real in their lives. 

Yuugi smiled. “He really is. He moved in with me shortly after, more or less because Mokuba made him. He spent an entire year in that apartment never leaving it. Not once. For aaaaanyyything. Then… I don’t really know what happened. He never said exactly.”

Ryou started from there, turning to face Kaiba with an intrigued grin. “He went back over to Mokuba’s and we swear he found something there that just changed everything for him because it was like night and day.”

“Is that when he found out the jet was tampered with?”

“No. That was later on or earlier. This was… I don’t know, but as soon as he got back he started pouring his entire existence into that mechanics shop.”

“It’s why we make such a big deal about it,” Anzu explained, “Well, it is actually a big deal but even if it wasn’t, it should be. He turned his life around with that shop.”

He knew what they were talking about; what Jou found. After their fight, and several talks about what to do with their lives together, he looked into the mechanics shop for him. He was going to give it to him as a gift on their vacation. He’d already paid for it, had the equipment sent over, all he had to do was open the door. It was something they’d always talked about doing together, but when he set it up, he planned on Jou running it for a few years while he separated from the company. Looks like that didn’t quite work out like he wanted, but at least Jou had it.

“So he’s still… a little touchy when the subject comes up, but he’s getting a lot better.” 

Kaiba couldn’t believe he was asking this but he had to, “How did Mokuba take everything?”

Honda smiled. “Exactly like his brother would.”

Yuugi’s eyes widened and he blew out his cheeks. “Exactly like he would.”

“He was the worst little shit that roamed the earth for about the same amount of time Jou was a hermit, maybe a little longer.”

“He found out about the tampering, or suspected tampering, and he’s using that to keep him going.” Yuugi looked up and frowned at Kaiba. “I’m really worried about him, which is why I was a little nervous to meet you both because of how excited he was talking about you.”

Atem leaned a little closer to Yuugi. “Is that why you didn’t want to come to the tournament?”

He nodded. 

“What do you mean, you didn’t want to meet us?”

“He really believes the only one who could help him figure this out is his brother and you are fitting exactly what he’s looking for. I’m really worried about it, so just... keep your eyes open.”

Kaiba started laughing. He didn’t mean to but it just made so much sense. Why he spent so much time catering to them? He wanted to get Kaiba to trust him and do what he wanted him to do. It was why he made a point to take care of Liam and Sylia, he wanted Kaiba to stay and a great way to get someone to stay is to convince their family to stay too. Little does he know what he wants done, benefits him too. 

Yuugi frowned at him. “I'm being serious.”

“I’m not laughing at you. I noticed he was acting strange earlier and that is the reason. Thank you.”

“You did?” Atem asked, like this was complete news to him. It probably was. He was really preoccupied with Yuugi.

“Yes. He’s catering to us, meeting us personally places. He’s trying to gain our trust.”

“Interesting.”

“Damn,” Honda snickered, shaking his head, “I get why he thinks that though. You and Kaiba would hit it off great.”

Ryou giggled and leaned a little closer to Honda. “If you want my opinion, I think we just miss him. We’re looking for it.”

Everyone nodded, humming and sighing in agreement. Yuugi nodded too, not nearly as convinced as everyone else. He looked at Kaiba, a little too long, like he did with his games and puzzles, then he turned to Atem with that exact same look. Atem leaned closer to Yuugi and smiled sweetly back. “What?”

“Nothing.”


	8. Chapter 8

Two days later and Kaiba sat on the bed staring out the hotel room window listening to Atem pack behind him. “A week isn’t enough time.”

“It isn’t.”

“So why are we leaving?”

“We aren’t.”

“What are we packing for then?”

Kaiba took a deep breath and crossed his arms over his chest. “Mokuba will meet us at the door, offer Liam some crazy deal to stay and we’ll stay.”

“...How do you know that?”

“Because it’s what I would do.”

“And if Liam and Sylia refuse?”

“I’ll have to tell him who I am. Either way, we can’t leave. If someone did tamper with the jet, Mokuba might be in danger too. Besides, aren’t you wanting to stay?”

“Of course I do.” Atem walked over to him and sat on the bed. “So… we’re packing, to fake Mokuba out so we all can stay?”

“Yes,” Kaiba said turning to smile at Atem, “That’s exactly what we’re doing.”

“Does Liam know that’s what we’re doing?”

“No.”

“You’re the mastermind here. I’ll leave you to it. I trust you.”

He ignored him and started to stand when Atem grabbed his sleeve. He sighed through his nose and frowned. “I wanted to apologize for everything at the bar.”

“Lay off it Atem. It happened and it’s over.”

“I had a reason for saying what I did. I wanted them to know what happened.”

“Why? What good would that do?”

“I’ve been talking to Yuugi and the more I talked to him, the more I got the impression he didn't trust us. Bringing that up was a way to get everyone to relax a little. Up until then, Yuugi still thought Mokuba was putting us up to everything. Now they know he isn’t.”

“You could have warned me.”

“I should have, but I never thought you’d have a problem with it. You don’t care what anyone thinks of you.”

Kaiba looked away from him and sighed. “I care what Jou thinks.”

Atem nodded, snickering. “And that’s why I’m trying to apologize. I’m used to you not giving a damn what  _ anyone  _ thinks.”

Kaiba frowned and turned to Atem. “Me too. When did that change?”

“Beats me. You’re still throwing me curve balls.”

“You really have been in that corn field too long.”

Atem fell back on the bed and groaned, “I have!”

\-----

Just like Kaiba wanted, Mokuba met them in the lobby offering Liam and him a permanent job and a pre-furnished house. Just like Mokuba wanted, Kaiba and the rest of them agreed to stay. Sylia took a little convincing, but he made sure to give her the ‘her family is already here, why not stay’ bit. It worked, like he knew it would.

Unfortunately Liam wasn’t an idiot, and he quickly noticed that Kaiba behaved a little differently around Mokuba. So when they arrived at the house on the outskirts of town, not far from that bar actually, Liam conned Atem and Sylia into getting them food so he could talk to him… alone. Kaiba shoved his hands in his pockets and watched Liam look around the living room. Liam then turned to him and frowned. “What’s going on?”

“What do you mean?”

“You went from itching to get away from Mokuba to wanting to live here and work with him every day. What happened? And don’t try to tell me the bar thing happened because you both said it was a train wreck.”

“The bar thing happened.”

“I just said-”

“And now I know I need more time. I need to stay.”

“So why keep us here?”

“Do you not want to be here?”

Liam fumbled over his words and smoothed back his hair. “I want to stay yes, but I don’t understand why  _ you _ want us to stay.”

Kaiba lifted up his wrist to show him the cuff. “Because we’re stuck with each other, obviously.”

Liam didn’t respond at first. Instead he walked through the house, looking at all of their things. “She knows.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Sylia knows you’re not Cobrin.”

“...Good.” Kaiba nodded, more to himself than anything. Liam wasn’t even looking at him. “That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”

Liam didn’t answer.

“Liam…”

“I don’t think so.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“I just… I don’t think this is a good move for her. I think we should go back.”

“Yeah,” Kaiba said, taking off the cuff and throwing it on the table, “I think you should too.”

“Seto. Wait.”

He stormed out of that house as fast as he could, ignoring anything Liam had to say. He kept walking, past the houses, down the street, headed in no particular direction. When he saw the bar he felt a mix of relief at the prospect of a drink and dread that anyone he knew might be in there. He decided it was worth the risk and made his way to it. When he stepped inside, he noticed it was mostly empty. He walked up to the bar and frowned at the bartender who looked at Jou. He didn’t want to deal with him, so he walked over to the corner of the bar where he saw no one and sat down. The young woman who waited on them before walked up to him and her eyes sparkled. “Ooo I remember you. What’ll it be love?”

“Whiskey on the rocks.”

“Coming right up.”

He was there a long time. At least it felt like a long time. He had three more before anyone else walked into the sleepy bar. He thought about walking back to the house, decided getting plastered was a better idea and waited for Aimi, the young woman who served him, to come back. 

Whoever it was that came in sat a couple stools over from him and sighed. He knew that sigh. He refused to look up and even thought about moving when he heard Sylia order a double whiskey no ice. 

Aimi giggled, clanging some glass on the bar. “Rough day?”

“Yeah, my husband’s an asshole.”

“Been there girl. What’d he do?”

“What men always do sweety. Hear the first two words you say then the rest is woh woh wo woh wowh.” 

Kaiba tried not to laugh, he was pretty upset in general but her making the same sound as the adults from the peanuts cartoon was hilarious. She snickered and he could feel her looking at him, even when he refused to look up. “It’s true! I bet you do it too.”

“I do not.”

“Ah huh. You’re trying to tell me you’ve heard every single word everyone's ever said to you?”

He thought about that and brought his mostly empty glass to his lips. “Heard? Yes. Understood, maybe not.”

“Exactly. Then it all starts turning into woh woh-”

Kaiba busted up laughing when she did it again and she started laughing too. “Yeah I guess it does.”

“Here’s your drink, you needing another?”

Kaiba shook his head. He turned to watch Sylia drink a big gulp of the whisky and smack her lips like it was water. “That’s unsettling.”

“Yeah… Would you believe I used to bartend? I drank these on the job all day long.”

“I’m surprised you can still do that.”

“It killed my taste buds and got me into some pretty scrappy fights.” She snickered, “I completely regret it.”

“I can’t see you getting into any kind of fight.”

“You didn’t see me back in the day,” she said, pointing her finger at him, with the cup still in her hand, “I could throw it down.”

“Please don’t ever say that again.”

She heartily laughed and set the glass down on the bar, resting her elbows on it. “I had a rough young adult life. It took a lot to pull myself out of drinking all the time. So when you... when Corbin started doing drugs I felt like it was all my fault.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know that, but I still feel it. And that’s what I was trying to tell my idiot husband.” She looked over at him and smiled. “It hurts to see your face.”

Kaiba stiffened and wished he’d ordered another drink. 

“I need you to actually listen to me now,” she said, reaching over to make him look at her, “I see you when I look at you, but sometimes I still see my baby. And just like you didn’t get a chance to mourn your life, I didn’t get a chance to mourn my son. So sometimes it just hits me out of the blue, my baby’s gone. Then the next minute I look up and see you and that feeling goes away. My baby’s gone, and I have you. I kept holding on to this hope that he’d come back or that you’d suddenly remember me but… It’s never going to happen and I have to accept that.”

“So Liam heard-”

“I’m having a hard time being around you and shouldn’t be. Yes. That’s exactly what he heard.”

“I guess that makes sense.”

“And as soon as he heard that he started freaking out and yelling at me.”

“Yelling at you?”

“Yes. He really cares about you and I was just throwing a wrench in everything he was doing.” She sighed, “It’s my own fault though. I should have told all of you I knew a long time ago.”

“When did you know?”

She pulled at a lock of her hair, resting her left elbow on the bar as she twisted to face him and quirked an eyebrow. “I’ve never seen someone freak out about hair like that in my life. I don’t even think Red would’ve done that.”

“It looked terrible.”

“It looked like Corbin’s hair, not yours. And as soon as I realized you knew what your hair was supposed to look like, I realized you couldn’t have amnesia. You would’ve just decided you didn’t like it and changed it, but the real kicker was the posters.”

“What about the posters?”

“You know what about the posters,” she said narrowing her eyes at him playfully. “Liam told me about the glass and your hand. I don’t think I need to explain more.”

Kaiba blushed and looked away. Cursing his luck when Aimi came back. “Need another one girl?”

“I sure do and so does my son.”

“Of course!”

She made the drinks and set them down on the bar before scurrying off to do whatever she was doing. Then Sylia nudged his arm. “So… the only thing I can’t figure out is Red. What’s the story there?”

“Why do you think there’s a story there?”

“He’s the only one of us you know that’s from Illinois.”

“He’s actually not from Illinois,” Kaiba said raising his drink, “He used to live here but he died seven years ago and he’s been trying to get back ever since.”

“Shut up!”

Kaiba laughed.

“Oh my god! Two of you?” She stared straight at the mirror in the bar. “What are the odds? So wait… that boy Yuugi. Is he his boyfriend?”

“Yes. They haven’t seen each other in seven years.”

Sylia fanned herself then put her hands to her lips. “That’s the most romantic thing I've ever heard!”

“I think you mean tragic.”

“It’s a little bit of both, isn’t it?” Her smile twisted into amusement when she looked over at him. “Sooo, tell me about this guy you’re after.”

He looked up and saw the girl coming back so he just sighed. “I can’t really talk about that here.”

“They come here a lot?”

“Yeah.”

She looked around, then grabbed his arm and her drink. “Come on.”

She walked around the bar to a corner table he hadn’t seen before. It was out of sight from the main bar, which was odd, and gave them plenty of space from the other patrons. Kaiba followed her with little ability to stop her. He was really feeling the drinks he’d had and she seemed too adorably secretive about it. Just like Mokuba would be.

When they sat down, she danced in the chair and folded her hands on the wooden table. “Alright, first things first, I just LOVE your little brother to death. He’s the absolute cutest little conniving businessman I've ever met in my life! I see why I remind you of him.”

“Who told you-”

“No one. You almost called me by his name once, and you’re not wrong.” She rest her chin on her hand and smiled. “Soo, tell me about Jou.”

“He’s an emotionally driven idiot who likes attention.”

“That’s what Liam said you said word for word.”

“What else did he tell you?”

“He told me everything after I threatened him. Don’t blame him for blabbing though. I can be a bitch when I want to be. So, tell me about him for real.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like what does he like to eat?”

“Everything.”

Sylia laughed. “Okay, how long were you together?”

“Three years.”

“Ooo so were you two were a serious couple huh? Making plans for the future?”

“Yes.” Kaiba looked down at his drink and took a sip of it. “We were supposed to open up a mechanics shop together and I was going to step down and give Kaiba Corporation to Mokuba.”

“Wow… did anyone know about that?”

“Apparently Jou found out. It was supposed to be a surprise for our vacation.”

“What vacation?”

“I was testing my jet to take us to the Bahamas when it crashed. We were supposed to leave later that day.” Kaiba shifted in his seat, finding it strange he hadn’t really talked about this with anyone. “I just had to test it. I kept getting a weird reading and the last thing I wanted was for it to go down with Jou and Mokuba in there. So I did some work on it and took it out. I’m glad I did. They could have died too.” 

Sylia gave him a sympathetic smile. “How is Jou doing?”

Kaiba’s shoulders slumped. “Sounds like horrible, but not dead.”

“I’m surprised Red was able to get to Yuugi so fast.”

Kaiba shook his head and smiled. “I’m not. Yuugi’s been waiting for him.”

“Is that a different story for you and Jou?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I guess Jou’s different than Yuugi. He’s not expecting me to just come back. Yuugi has a little more faith in miracles.”

“Interesting.”

“He is interesting.”

She snickered. “I can’t say I blame Jou, Mokuba or Yuugi.”

Kaiba scoffed. “If someone came up to me after Jou died and tried to tell me he was him, I'd probably kill him.”

“I think I would to. It would be… cruel.”

“Exactly.”

“So stop working the ‘Seto’ angle and start working somewhere between ‘Seto’ and ‘Corbin’.”

“How am I supposed to do that?”

“Honey, you’ve been doing it this whole time,” she said with a smile, and put her hand over his wrist squeezing it. “You’re not Seto anymore, and to pretend you are would be cruel to you and everyone else you care about. But you aren’t Corbin either. So, just keep being you, until something fits. I think that’s what Red did. And it’s what you’ve done with me and Liam at home. Just do it here too.”

“I wasn’t doing anything.”

“You were. You were being you and humoring us. It made you into who you are now. I know you feel like you’re lying to everyone but you really aren’t. You can’t lie if you’re you.”

“Being me sent Jou out of the bar.”

She leaned back and took a drink of her whiskey. “Is that why you said it was a train wreck?”

“That and Red thought it would be a great idea to direct the conversation into telling them I’m an ex heroin addict.”

Sylia almost spit out her drink, then burst into laughter. “He didn’t!”

“He did.” Kaiba smiled down at his drink. “Normally I don’t give a fuck what anyone thinks about me, but I care a lot what Jou thinks. That was the worst first impression I could have made.”

Sylia gave him a look like he’d said something stupid. He hated that feeling. He frowned and stopped mid drink to look at her for an explanation.  “Mokuba’s told us some stories about you and Jou, before and after you were together," she said.

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes. You sound like a complete asshole.”

“What a wonderful thing to hear from your mother.”

She burst into laughter and pushed his shoulder from across the table making him laugh. “I’m still a little fuzzy on how you two started dating to begin with, but if he was able to overlook all of that before, I’m pretty sure he can deal with anything else you throw at him.”

“Maybe.”

“And if he doesn’t, well,” Sylia draped her right arm over the edge of the chair and kicked her feet up on the table, crossing her ankles, “I’ll kick his ass for you.”

\----

A couple days later and a long conversation with Liam and Sylia later, Liam took him to Kaiba Corp to their new office. It didn’t look anything like an office, more like a workshop. He smirked at it, walking around and opening drawers and cabinets to see what all was in them. All the things he’d need to invent new things and build new project models. He was actually starting to get excited about this job. Then again, this was what he wanted out of. Yet another gift taking him away from where he wanted to be. He sighed and shut a drawer to join Liam at his desk. “So. What are we working on?”

Liam turned the computer so he could read through Mokuba’s project instructions. He wanted them to create a new VR counsel for Yuugi’s new game. Shouldn’t be difficult, then again, Yuugi had a pretty big imagination. He’d need to test out the game. He also wanted them to work more on the Jet engine they’d designed. He wanted them to make a prototype. Kaiba looked around the workshop and then back to Liam. “Where are we making that?”

“Not in here, that’s for sure. He says there's a lab on a different floor as well as some other guys to help us build it.”

“Great. Which do you want to work on first?”

“I figured I’d leave the gaming one to you. I have no idea how to do any of that.”

Kaiba snickered. “Fair enough. Let’s go downstairs to look at the lab then.”

Liam stood up and walked with him to the elevator. The lab was on a basement level; one that opened up to enormous dimensions. “I forgot this existed.”

“Never used it?”

“No. The former CEO of Kaiba Corporation, used it as a weapons lab. I didn’t have use for it.”

“Former CEO?”

“Kaiba, Gozaburo. The man who adopted Mokuba and I.” Liam beamed at him, making him quirk an eyebrow. “What?”

“The instant I can read this nonsense, I'm delving into your life story and you can’t stop me.”

Kaiba laughed. “If you find anything let me know so I can destroy it.”

“Damn. Already got rid of the good bits didn’t you?”

Kaiba didn’t respond, just grinned at him as they walked down a short metal staircase to to meet a group of guys standing around talking. Liam introduced himself and started talking to them about his engine plans and the prototype they needed to build. Kaiba immediately felt a backlash from all of them. They didn’t openly say they wouldn’t work with Liam, but it was clear they weren’t happy about it. Why not? After talking to them and getting a plan set in place, they left. Kaiba thought about asking Liam if it bothered him that they were rude, but he didn’t seem to notice. If he didn’t notice, it shouldn’t be much of a problem. Yet anyway. 

\----

The rest of the week, he played Yuugi’s game. At first he played it with Atem, but both of them had a hard time seeing where a VR system, especially one like Mokuba wanted, would work with the game. So he ended up having Yuugi over at the house to play the game and better explain what he wnated. The next 4 weeks he watched Atem and Yuugi play it while taking notes and talking about what he was looking for with them. Yuugi was over a lot because of that, and even if they weren’t working on the game he somehow managed to be there anyway. After Kaiba told Sylia about Atem, she made a point to help him out any chance she got. One of those chances was inviting him to dinner every night and he never turned it down. She even made him more so he could take it home to Jou. 

When Friday rolled around at the beginning of April, Kaiba sat at his desk across from Liam soldering a piece onto the VR system. His phone buzzed, inching its way over the desk. He was genuinely surprised when he looked at it and saw Atem texted him letting him know they were going to the bar again. They, meaning all of them, and he made sure to say Jou was going too. 

“Who’s that?”

“Red. Apparently we’re going to the bar again.”

“Good. You could use a break.”

Kaiba didn’t say anything to that. He didn’t feel like he needed a break, but then again, he’d worked on this system for a month straight. Glancing up at Liam, he set the soldering gun down. “I’m almost finished with this. Am I going to have any of that engine project left?”

Liam laughed. “The whole thing if it keeps going like it is.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know how it is. Everyone thinks they have a better way of doing something and don’t like following orders.”

“Unfortunately, yes, I do.”

Liam scribbled something on a notebook and groaned, “Alright annnnnd done! Am I dropping you off?” he asked, falling back into the chair and sending it rolling backwards away from the desk.”

“I’d appreciate it.”

“Perfect. Is you-know-who going to be there?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes and pushed his chair away from the desk, hearing Liam snickering as he stood up. They locked up the workshop and walked together through the halls and to the elevator, waving goodbye to the receptionist as they walked through the lobby. Once outside, Kaiba wrapped his arms around his coat to hold out the cold. It maybe April, but the cold still hung in the air. 

The drive to the bar was quiet even with Liam poking questions at him he refused to answer, which just seemed to egg him on. When he got to the bar he waved goodbye and practically ran out of the car. He pushed through the wooden door, hit with smells of smoke and fried food again, but it didn’t bother him this time. The bar was still sleepy, just like when he was there with Sylia. He looked back towards the circle booth where they were before and saw Yuugi and Atem in a very personal conversation. He groaned and walked up to the bar to give them more time with it and stood face to face with the bartender that was looking at Jou. “What’ll it be?”

“Rusty nail.”

“Oh interesting. I haven’t made that in a while. I’ll get that right up.”

He glanced over at Atem and Yuugi, who were now kissing. He looked away and scoffed, plopping down onto a bar stool. The bartender looked at him, then them before snickering. “They've been like that for the last half hour. Disgustingly precious, huh?”

“I would’ve stuck with the first part.”

He snickered and handed him the drink. “All your friends coming?”

“Should be.”

“Jou too?”

Kaiba flicked his eyes up from his cup then back down. “I wouldn’t know.”

The bartender lend on the bar and smirked at him. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“I get that a lot,” he muttered, taking a sip of his drink. 

“I bet you do.” Kaiba wasn’t really sure what that was supposed to mean and stared at the guy as he walked away. 

“Hey! Long time no.. woah!”

Kaiba looked up at Jou getting ready to rush over to the booth. He immediately spun around and grabbed Jou’s shirt yanking him onto a bar stool next to him. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Me?!”

“Yes you,” Kaiba muttered, “Leave them be.”

“But!” Jou tried to protest then huffed and crossed his arms on the bar top as if he were pouting. “Ya got no idea how big that is.”

“And running over there screaming about it is your idea of helping?”

Jou looked over at them, glared at Kaiba, then laid his chin on his folded arms. “Fuck you.”

Kaiba had to grit his teeth to keep from saying what he normally did when Jou said that to him. That wouldn’t go over well at all. But he was thinking it, and he could see himself smirking in the mirror no matter how hard he tried to stop it. Jou looked up at him and continued to scowl. “What’s so damn funny?”

“You. Do you always talk to your friends like that?”

He sat up for a minute and actually thought about it. “Ya know what? I think I do.”

“Good I can’t be the only one.”

Jou snickered, “So how’s it goin’ at Kaiba Corp?”

“Busy and boring.”

“That’s a shitty combination.”

“It is.”

“Sounds like my week too. Busy ‘n borin’. This is my highlight,” he said gesturing to Yuugi and Atem, “and I can’t even drink.”

“Sorry about that. Seems I scared him off.”

“I bet ya do that a lot.”

Kaiba chuckled and took a drink. “I hope so.”

“What’s that?”

Kaiba looked down at his glass and swooshed the ice around a little. “Rusty nail.”

“What the hell is that?”

“Scotch and Drambuie.”

“So it’s scotch twice.”

Kaiba turned to grin at him. “Close enough.” He paused and looked down at the glass. “Want to try it?”

Jou considered it for a moment before sitting up entirely. “Sure I’ll bite.”

He took the cup from Kaiba and swigged it. Probably a little more than he should for this kind of drink, but he did that for everything so why fight him on it. He smiled at it then frowned. “Thanks.”

“Don’t like it?”

“Nah, it ain’t that. Just… “ Kaiba thought he’d messed up again when Jou looked up at him with a strange smirk. “Ain’t that a little sweet for ya?”

“It is, but I don’t want someone to spit in it.”

Jou burst into a fit of laughter and shook his head. “Come on, Hideo ain’t that bad.”

“Clearly not to you.”

“Yeah,” Jou said, then turned to look at him, “he ain’t my type though.”

Kaiba’s brain completely shut down when Jou smirked at him as if to say ‘but you are’. He just stared at him not knowing what to do and Jou’s smirk just got bigger. Which either meant Jou was fucking with him or Kaiba was blushing, and he was almost 100 percent sure he was blushing if how hot he was had anything to do with it. 

“The fun has arrived!” Honda shouted from the open door pulling Jou’s attention to them.

Anzu, Honda and Otogi walked into the bar seeing them sitting there. Jou got up off the bar stool and hugged Anzu, but Kaiba’s mind was still not working. He glanced over at Yuugi and Atem, finally able to think when he saw them separated and looking as innocent as possible, while failing miserably. He walked away from the bar, drink in hand, and crossed the room with them to the booth. Yuugi and Atem both smiled and greeted them as everyone got situated in it. Kaiba grabbed a free chair and spun it around again to sit at the end of the table.

Anzu sat up on top of the booth again and tilted her head to the side, smiling sweetly. “There’s plenty of room if you want us to scoot down.”

Kaiba shook his head. “I’m fine.”

“Yeah Anzu not everyone likes having your legs all over them.”

“I do!” Otogi shouted and scooted over to sit right in between Anzu’s legs. 

She sighed and leaned forward to stare down at him, covering his face with her hair. “What are you doing?”

“Taking one for the team obviously.”

“He just said he was fine.”

“And so am I.”

Anzu sat up, laughing, “You’re impossible.”

“Where’s Ryou?” Yuugi asked.

Honda made some kind of vague gesture and somehow all of them made an ‘ahh’ sound like they knew what that meant. Everyone but Atem and Kaiba who looked at each other briefly but didn’t bother asking. Yuugi noticed and started to giggle. “Oh sorry. That’s the gesture for ‘no one knows’.”

Atem frowned. “What?” 

“Yeah Ryou goes off to who knows where randomly. We just go with it.”

“Yeah, aren’t you his boyfriend? Shouldn’t you know where he is?” Anzu asked Honda in an almost teasing manner, but Kaiba didn’t think it was a subject for teasing. 

“One, we’re not official, two, he’s a free spirit and three, he gets a little crazy when you try to get out of him where he’s going.”

Otogi grinned at him. “Probably another guys house.”

“Guys,” Yuugi sighed.

“Or girls house,” Anzu countered.

“Or a ghost guys house.”

“Now your being immature.”

“Or a student’s house.”

All of them oooed at Honda, who just sighed out of frustration. Something in how he sighed made Kaiba think Honda actually did know where he was, but why he didn’t want to say, he didn’t know and really didn’t want to know. Honda shifted in the booth and looked over at Kaiba. “So how’s your family adjusting to living here?”

“They’re working on it.”

“Yeah, after the fight of the century they’re doing great,” Atem muttered, but everyone heard it.

“What happened?”

Kaiba quirked a brow at him. He’d never mentioned it before. 

“While you were off having a great time,  _ Corbin _ , I had to listen to it.”

“Well now we’re even.”

Atem locked his jaw at first then muttered something else that, if he didn’t know any better, wasn’t English or Japanese. Yuugi gave him a strange look but didn’t say anything. 

“So… is that all you’re going to tell us?” Anzu grinned.

“You're mother is terrifying,” Atem said and Kaiba started to laugh.

“She’s a sweetheart!” Yuugi said, hitting Atem playfully on the shoulder. “She makes me American dinners.”

“What do you mean ‘American dinners’?” Honda asked.

“I don’t know what it is, but it's just all in one baking dish and oh my goodness it’s soo gooood!”

Jou started laughing. “Yeah they are!”

Anzu giggled. “You’ve been over there too?”

“Nah Sylia sends it home with Yuug.”

Kaiba gestured to Atem. “I actually believe she is terrifying. She came here after that fight and drank me under the table. Did you know she used to be a bartender?”

Atem snickered, “I didn’t.”

“She also said she used to get into fights a lot.”

“You’re mom? Sylia?” Yuugi shook his head. “I don’t believe it.”

“I didn’t either until she drank twice as much as me.”

“Sounds like a mom after my own heart!” Jou said, “You gotta bring her next time.”

“You’re really lucky, Corbin. You have a wonderful family.” Yuugi’s genuine smile made the side of his mouth twitch. So he just nodded. Yes, he guessed ‘lucky’ was the right word for it.

“So how come you know his family so well?” Anzu asked leaning towards him. 

“Oh! Corbin and Liam are working on the VR system for my new game. I’ve been over there talking with him about it.”

“Aka you’ve been playing it?” Honda snickered.

“All day, every day.” 

“I thought you were working on the jet?”

“We’re doing that too,” Kaiba said.

“Damn, Mokuba doesn’t want much does he?”

“Well if all I have to do to get paid is sit at home playing video games, I’ll do it. Liam’s heading the engine project until I get this done. It shouldn’t take too long.”

Just about then, some new patrons walked into the bar. Kaiba wouldn’t have looked if it wasn’t for the frown on Yuugi’s face. He looked at whoever came in with a dark kind of… hatred? But Kaiba didn’t think Yuugi was capable of that, so he had to see who it was. The instant he turned around, his eyes locked with one of the guys from Liam’s team. 9 of them walked in and sat at a circular table in the middle of the bar. Why the hell were they at  _ this _ bar?

Kaiba turned back around, not wanting to deal with it but Yuugi was determined to glare them down. So it wasn’t just him. They were more than rude. Jou took a deep breath and slapped his knee under the table. “So, no more talkin’ ‘bout work. Got it.”

“What fun stuff has anyone done this week?”

No one said a word. 

Anzu sighed, “Damn we’re getting old.”

Honda laughed. “If all we have to talk about is work, yeah I think we are.”

“That’s not all we have to talk about. Everything else just isn’t fun,” Yuugi snickered. 

“Yeah this is where the fun’s at!”

“Speakin’ ‘o fun, where the hell is Hideo?” Kaiba watched Jou lift himself out of the seat then sit back down with an angered frown. Then he turned to Kaiba. “Man, you weren’t fuckin’ with me were ya? What’d ya say ta him?”

“I didn't say anything.”

Everyone lifted themselves up to look around the bar, then sat back down with similar frowns all pointed at him. He threw his arms to his sides and looked at Atem. “I didn’t this time.”

“I believe you.”

Yuugi gave Atem a strange look. “You really do, don’t you?”

Kaiba blinked, glaring at Yuugi. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I don’t.”

He started to say something when Liam’s name wafted over the chatter. The table was talking about him and for some reason he strained to listen to it. He didn’t know why, but he needed to. 

“Corbin?”

“Shh.”

“Well if you talked to him like that-”

“Shhhhh.”

Yuugi complained to Atem, but Kaiba wasn’t paying attention to them anymore. The conversation at his own table continued without him, exactly like he wanted. They were insinuating he’d said something to Hideo that he didn’t and wished he did, then at least it would have been worth it. But this conversation about Liam was taking a darker turn; he listened intently to them ripping him apart. 

“Why Mr. Kaiba would hire some had-been American for this, I’ll never know.”

“They snake their way into everything.”

“This guy doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing. Where did he get his degree from?”

“Probably online.” They all laughed, clinking their glasses together.

“Judging by the rest of his work I’d drink to that.”

“Did you see how they shut down his rocket project so fast he didn't even touch the thing?”

“They knew it was useless.” They all laughed again. Kaiba remembered Liam talking about that rocket project. It meant so much to him, and Kaiba felt his anger increasing with every syllable they uttered. Then their teasing became incredibly personal. 

“Can’t even keep his kid in line. Did you hear he was in a coma for three years from an overdose? Now he’s suddenly a genius, but have you seen his record? Why is he even allowed to work here?”

“His wife isn’t worth a shit either.”

“Yeah loud, dumb, and fat.” They laughed. “Have you seen the slop she makes him for lunch?”

“Slop,” One of the laughed. “That’s what it is. Slop for pigs.”

“You’d be a heroin addict too if you had to live with them.”

And that was it. Suddenly he was 8 years old again, walking up to some kids almost twice his size to beat the shit out of them for harassing Mokuba. That’s what this felt like. He got up from his chair before he realized he was moving. He forgot where he was, that it was just him verses 9 of them, and he couldn’t hear anything else but their laughter. His lungs burned and the smell of cigarette smoke filled his nose and stung the back of his throat. It was everywhere and far more powerful to be from someone else inside the bar. The sensation was strangely encouraging, seeming to egg him on and solidify in his mind that he wanted this more than anything. He stalked over to the chair of the guy who’d said that last comment and hauled him to his feet. He didn’t give him a chance to say another word and punched him as hard as he could. 

The whole bar broke out into a brawl. Chairs skidded across the floor, people shouted and glass shattered around him, but Kaiba felt  _ great _ . He had so much bottled in. So much hatred, anger, grief, depression, confusion, desperation, and fear all bottled together. All capped off in a nice neat little glass package that was completely shattered when he threw that first punch. He made sure every single one of those bastards was hit by him specifically at least once, no, twice for good measure. Just in case. Because they needed to _ feel it _ . 

At some point the bartender got in between him and his target. He thought about punching him too, but stopped. This fight didn’t have anything to do with him, whether he deserved to be hit or not. The smoke smell disappeared almost instantly when Anzu rushed over and pushed him back, shoving him towards the back doorway. “We need to go! Now!”

“Why?”

Anzu growled something at him but he didn’t understand her. He looked back at Jou, Otogi and Honda standing beside the bartender, with the guys laying haphazardly everywhere, bleeding and panting heavily. Suddenly it clicked what Anzu had growled at him. If he stayed, he’d get deported. He had to leave, but that would also mean they'd get arrested for this. Jou already had a record this wasn’t an option. He pushed back at Anzu making her look up at him. “I’m not going anywhere. Let them deport me. Jou can’t get arrested.”

She gave him a strange look then grabbed his arm, pulling him with her. “We got it covered. You think this only happens while you’re here?”

Kaiba put a pin in that and let her drag him out of the bar through the back. She kept him moving until he saw Atem and Yuugi up ahead. Both looked like shit; busted lips and bruises everywhere. Yuugi smiled at him, which looked ridiculous considering. “We are definitely going to more bars with you!”

“And we were just saying we feel old. Ha!” Anzu giggled. “My hand fucking hurts.”

“Your hand hurts?” Yuugi giggled and wrapped his arm around Anzu’s shoulders. “My everything hurts.”

“We need to reset the ‘Jou incident’ counter.”

“It wasn’t Jou this time though.”

“Like hell it wasn’t? Did you see how fast he bolted over the table?”

“I thought he was trying to stop the fight.”

“Ha!” Anzu laughed. “I thought Red was going to stop the fight. We were both dead wrong.”

“You didn’t hear what they were saying,” Atem said, out of breath as he walked beside Kaiba. “They had it coming.”

Kaiba was still trying to wrap his mind around everything. He didn’t see any of them, but then again, there were 9 of them, and he wasn’t ganged up on once. Which meant they were all helping at least at some point. Kaiba grinned at them. Then turned to Atem. “Did you get anyone with that punch of yours?”

Atem laughed. “Yes I did.”

“You’ve seen him fight before?” Yuugi asked, curiosity sparkling in his bruising eyes. 

“Yes one time. He punched a guy so hard he flew back into his door.”

Atem sighed. “You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not. I had time to stand there, gawk, then follow you to the car before he made it up there to yell at us.”

Yuugi’s grin widened. “Who did you hit?”

Atem looked down at the ground. “Some guy for getting handsy.”

Anzu turned around at that and started walking backwards, pointing at them. “You both are my hero’s right now.”

Kaiba shook his head at her, then looked back over his shoulder at the lights from the bar. He was really worried about Jou. Anzu giggled. “Stop worrying about him. I told you we have a system.” 

“We actually do have a system. Someone always says something stupid around Jou.”

“Yeah. The last guy said someone should’ve killed Kaiba sooner.”

“Yeah… We almost couldn’t cover that one up.”

Anzu grimaced and shook her head. “That one was bad.”

Kaiba felt a swell of pride at that. He probably shouldn’t but he did. Atem very gently nudged him, probably because he was exhausted. “So.. why didn’t you hit the bartender?”

“Why would I hit him?”

Atem grinned at him, but Yuugi piped up. “What happened with Hideo?”

“Nothing happened. I ordered a drink, he said I looked familiar, I said I get that a lot and he said I’m sure you do. Then disappeared.”

Atem kept grinning. “So why didn’t you hit him?”

“I don’t think that warrants being punched,” Anzu chortled.

“It does when he ignored our table because of Corbin.”

“I don’t think-”

“I’ll get him another time. They were my focus.”

“Good.” Anzu and Yuugi looked at each other then frowned at Atem. He loosely waved them off and sighed, “Corbin has a crush on Jou.”

Yuugi lit up. “That explains so much!”

“Anything else you want to tell them about me?” Kaiba spat, “I think you’re running out, but I’m not.”

“I’m waiting.”

“I should punch you.”

Atem laughed. 

“You both have the weirdest relationship.”

Anzu giggled. “No it’s not. It’s just like siblings.”

Kaiba loudly groaned. “I don’t want to hear another thing about any family bull shit right now.” He adjusted his jacket and shirt in a huff and glared at Yuugi. “So where are we going?”

“Your house,” he said, “It’s just up there.”

Kaiba took in his surroundings, not believing they were already almost there. Now he was starting to hurt. 


	9. Chapter 9

“Start talking Corbin! Why the hell do I have four badly beat up people in my house?!”

Kaiba glared back and kept his mouth shut.

Yuugi leaned over from where Sylia was putting a bandage on him. “We’re actually expecting three more.”

“Yep any minute now,” Anzu said, holding an icepack on her hand.

Sylia threw her hands to her sides. “Will someone tell me what’s going on?”

“No one says a word. Especially you Red,” Kaiba spat, glaring at his smirk.

“What the hell is going on?” Liam shouted but Kaiba didn’t care.

Like hell was he going to tell Liam what they said. He didn’t need to explain himself to anyone. “I got into a fight.”

“Obviously.”

“That’s it.”

“Why?”

He still didn’t answer and Liam was getting madder by the second. 

Someone knocked at the door, but no one moved. Sylia muttered a string of curses and walked over to the door to open it. Seeing Jou, Honda and Otogi grinning and beaten up in the doorway, made Kaiba relax. Jou was okay. He really needed to know what the hell kind of system they were talking about that got them out of something like this. 

“Oh my god!” Sylia gasped and stepped back then ushered them in quickly. 

Jou had a case of beer in his hands when he walked into the living room, then his grin disappeared. “What happened?”

“That’s what I want to know!” Liam shouted. 

Jou shrugged his shoulders and gestured to Kaiba with the case of beer. “Talk ta him. I’m just here.”

Liam looked around the room at all of them then back to Kaiba. “How many people were you guys fighting?”

“9 and I’ll take one of those beers.”

Jou gave Kaiba a goofy grin and got one out for him. 

“And no one’s been drinking?”

“Corbin had half of one,” Yuugi said, then winced when Sylia came back at him with some Neosporin. “None of us got a chance to.”

Sylia turned to look at Kaiba and sighed, “Please tell me you at least had a good reason for this.”

“I did.”

“We wouldn’t ‘o helped if he didn’t,” Jou said, popping open a can of beer and bring it to his lips.

“And no one’s going to tell me why?”

Everyone shook their heads. 

Liam spun around and glared at Kaiba. “I should throw you out right now.”

Kaiba sighed and leaned back against the dining room chair he pulled into the living room to sit in, even if it hurt. “Liam. I’m not going to tell you. It’s personal. Please stop asking me.”

He thought that might work. He really did, but Sylia suddenly became worried and Liam locked up. He closed his eyes and put the bottom of the beer can on his left eye when he heard Yuugi speaking softly to Sylia. “I know my grandpa would be freaking out right now if... when I came home like this, but I promise, we don’t do this all the time.”

“Sweety I never said you did.”

“I’m sure you're worried about this because of before. I’m sure this happened a lot before, but it’s not like that.”

Kaiba opened his right eye and watched the tension completely melt out of Sylia. So that’s what they were so worried about? He didn’t even think about that. “Thank you.”

He sat up a little, listening to them all start talking about the fight. Not what started it, but what happened during it, like they’d just went to a the greatest movie they’d ever seen. “Seeing you slide over a table never gets old, Jou.”

“Nah, man seein’ fuckin’ Anzu hand some assholes balls back ta them is still hands down the best.”

Anzu beamed and shrugged her shoulders. “Nobody hurts my guys.”

“I’m just glad Ryou wasn’t here,” Honda said, snickering, “Then I’d have to explain why Otogi and I have the cool move thing.”

All of them laughed and Otogi leaned forward to demonstrate the move with Honda, making them all laugh again. 

Atem looked over at Yuugi with a fond smile. “I can’t believe you're that fast.”

“It’s bullshit is what it is,” Jou snickered, “He’s never as hurt as the rest of us. Look at ‘em.” 

Yuugi grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “Yep. I’ll look normal tomorrow and all of you will be purple.”

“I can’t believe how hard you hit Red. That guy went flying over the table,” Honda said and made a hand gesture to show what he meant.

“I don’t hit that hard.”

Honda, Otogi and Anzu scoffed in unison. 

“Not that we needed to do much, Corbin had it pretty well under control,” Otogi said, “Fuck! 9 guys, 9 semi fit guys and that was probably the easiest fight I’ve been in.”

All of them nodded and agreed. 

“Hell, I’m impressed,” Jou said and Kaiba closed his eyes to not look at him. “I thought I was gonna get my ass kicked.”

“So…” Sylia sighed, “Why aren’t the cops here?”

“We took care of it.” Honda shrugged. “That’s why we were late.”

“Took care of it?” Liam repeated.

“Yeah. We have a thing going with the bar. It’s a pretty rough bar.”

“That’s why we go,” Anzu said, “You’d be surprised how much the fights have gone down since we’ve started going.”

That made some sort of warped sense he supposed. 

“It also helps that Honda’s dad’s the sheriff out here.”

“It helps a lot,” Honda laughed. “But I’m going to hear about this one.”

“_ I’m _ going to hear about this one,” Kaiba finally said drawing all of their attention to him.

“You’re already hearing about this one,” Liam mocked.

“No. I’m going to hear about this from Mokuba.”

Yuugi sighed, “Yeah, so am I.” Then he smiled. “Worth it.”

\-----

True to his hunch, Mokuba had them in his office bright and early Monday morning; frowning at Kaiba’s busted lip and bruised up face. He had his arms crossed over his chest, but he looked more disappointed than mad. Not that Kaiba had a single clue why he looked that way. Then he took a deep breath through his nose and sighed. “I should fire you.”

“You should.”

“Why did you do that?”

“Your employees don’t know how to keep their mouths shut.”

Mokuba lifted a brow and blinked at him. “And that warrants you to fight with them?”

“For what they said, yes.”

Mokuba looked conflicted, like he was thinking he was wrong about Kaiba being what he thought he was. Then he looked down at the ground and shook his head. “I have 9 of my guys out on the same project, for probably a few months.”

“You should fire them too.”

Mokuba tightened his grip on his arms and snarled at him, “I didn’t ask your opinion.”

Kaiba grinned at him. “No you didn’t and you really don’t want it.”

“That isn’t it?”

“Not even close.”

Mokuba kept looking at him with the same expression, like he was trying to figure out a puzzle or a computer game. He looked so disappointed, so let down. The longer Kaiba stared at him the more guilty he felt, but he just didn’t know why. The guilt didn’t change anything though. He’d do it again right now if he had to.

“Mr. Anderson if it is alright with you I’d like to talk to Corbin alone.”

Liam whistled and then blew out his cheeks. “As long as that’s okay with you son?”

Kaiba nodded. So he got up and walked away. Kaiba returned his gaze to Mokuba and both of them stayed like that until the office door closed. Mokuba took a deep breath through his nose. “What did they say?”

“Some unsightly things about my family that I’m not repeating.”

“That’s not a good reason to fire them.”

“It is when they are blatantly undermining you and your decision to have my father and I on this project.”

“I’m starting to wonder about that decision too.”

“You won’t need to worry about that. After I finish the VR system I’m putting in my resignation.”

“Why?”

“This isn’t what I want. I just got into a bar fight with 9 of your employees over something that should never have happened. I agree with you. You should fire me now.”

Mokuba stiffened and murmured, “I don’t want to fire you.”

“Why not? Like you said, I put out an entire team for months. I cost this company thousands. You _ need _ to fire me.”

“You…” His expression morphed before his eyes and for a minute he could see him as he was younger, when it was just them. “You remind me of Seto. I know you can do this better than everyone in this company. I’ve seen what you can do.”

Mokuba’s ever shifting expressions hurt, but there was nothing he could do about it. “Liam is more than capable to do this project alone.”

“He isn’t though. I need someone to make sure it’s not tampered with.”

“If tampering is what you’re worried about, you have the wrong team together.”

Mokuba scoffed, smiling ruefully, “I see that.”

He took a deep breath and locked his jaw. It looked like Mokuba needed some help and he couldn’t say no to that. “If you want my opinion,” he said and paused, waiting for Mokuba to tell him to go to hell. When he didn’t, he continued, “I think you should have Liam head the project and hire his own team. When it’s done, I’ll look over it for you. Not as an employee.”

“How would that help?”

“You’re going to look at it with me.” Mokuba’s expression changed again, but he didn’t know what this one meant. “You see things I don’t.”

“Like the wire on the duel monsters platform?”

Kaiba smiled at him and he smiled back. He was fishing. He was bringing something up only he would know, just to see if he was right and he was right. Staring at him now, looking at him like he always did before, he wanted to tell him he was right. This was cruel. This was what Sylia told him not to do, and yet he couldn’t stop himself even if he tried. This was the in between that he was. His bottom line had Mokuba in it. Even if he somehow managed to add to it, Mokuba would always be in it. 

His vision blurred and his smile hurt. “Yes, Moki. Like the stupid pink wire on the duel monsters platform.”

Mokuba’s face twisted and he choked out a sob before covering his face with his hands. “Seto?”

He felt his eyes water and nodded.

“This is impossible.”

“I know.”

“If this is a trick I swear I will kill you.”

He laughed and got up from the chair to wrap his arms around Mokuba. “I wouldn’t blame you.”

“I don’t understand. Why do you want to quit?”

“I planned on stepping down and giving the company to you so I could run that shop with Jou. I wanted to spend more time with both of you. That hasn’t changed. If anything, I’m more sure that’s what I want.”

Now Mokuba was really sobbing and he was having a difficult time not joining him. He started to say something when the phone buzzed. “Damnit. What time is it?”

Kaiba looked up at the clock. “Almost 7:30.”

“I have a meeting in 5 minutes,” he said, trying to calm down. 

Kaiba didn’t say anything, and he didn’t move. He’d wanted to hug him since he saw him and he wasn’t moving now. Mokuba sniffled and shifted, wrapping his arms around him too. “Why did you get into a fight over Liam and Sylia?”

“I… It’s…” He sighed, trying to come up with something to say besides ‘well they’re family’. Mokuba wouldn’t exactly understand or believe that. Hell, he didn’t fully believe it, at least not until he got into that fight. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Trust me. I wouldn’t. The only reason I’m here now is you recognized me.”

“Yeah drug addicts don’t normally get top jobs, huh?”

He laughed. “No they don’t.”

“I think I’m going to harass you about this for the rest of your life. Ex drug addict AND somehow acquired a family that didn’t run when you started talking? I can’t believe it,” Mokuba laughed, making Kaiba laugh with him. Then he whispered, “I can’t believe I have you back.”

Kaiba hugged him tighter and sighed, “Partly anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not Seto anymore. I can’t go around telling everyone I was.”

Mokuba moved away from him and wiped his cheeks. “No I guess you can’t… Did you tell Jou?”

“No.”

“That’s probably a good idea. I don’t think he’d take it very well.”

He scoffed. “No. He wouldn’t.”

“The only reason I am, is…” he said, hiccuping, “I thought if anyone could, it would be you.”

Kaiba smiled at him and brushed back his hair. “I can’t do everything, Moki.”

Mokuba looked up at him, beaming despite his red puffy eyes. “I think you can.”

Kaiba wrapped his arms around him again. “I know.”

\----

Kaiba walked out of Mokuba’s office and made his way down the hall. He saw Liam sitting in a leather sofa, glaring down at his shoes. Taking a deep breath to keep himself calm, he walked up to him. Liam looked up then and started to say something when he stopped. He studied his face for a while, sighing and smiling at him. “So… this either means we’re both fired or… ”

“No one’s fired.”

“So you told him.”

“Yes.”

Liam’s smile grew and he stood up to give him a hug. Mokuba walked out of the office, and looked at them. He slowly shut the door so it didn’t make a sound and turned to walk the opposite way down the hall. Kaiba turned his head, watching as he stopped for a moment and turned around. Mokuba waved, a small smile tugging at his lips as he turned to walked away. Kaiba waved back, feeling a huge weight off his shoulders. He had a little bit of home back. Liam stepped back and squeezed Kaiba’s shoulders. He patted his back, before slinging his arm around him. They walked down the hallway to the elevators in silence. Then Liam sighed deeply. “So you’re going to get a lecture from Sylia.”

“I know.”

“Are you sure that was wise to do?”

“It’s what I needed to do.”

Liam nodded. “Are you going to tell me what happened?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Well, now that I know ‘who’ you got into a fight with, I have a good guess.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes. I asked one of the new girls, an American intern who looked incredibly uncomfortable around them, what was wrong. She told me a few things they were saying, but she was so upset about it, she ended up quitting the project and asked to move somewhere else.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Well, what I don’t know doesn’t hurt me. I can only imagine what you heard. You know the language.”

“You should get her back.”

“I’m still not sure what’s going on.”

“Mokuba is firing or moving those guys somewhere else. You’re hiring a new team to help you.”

“I’m- I’m what?” Liam stopped walking and made Kaiba turn to face him. “I can’t do that.”

“You can, and she can help you.” 

“What about you? Are you still quitting?”

“After I’m finished with the VR system, yes.”

They walked into the workshop and Liam slowly shut the door, leaning back against it. “I don’t understand. Isn’t this what you wanted? I thought you liked working on this stuff.”

“I do, but this,” Kaiba looked round at the workshop and exhaled through his nose. He touched his busted lip and scoffed. “I need out of this. I’m just going back to where I was before and that’s not what I wanted either.”

“What do you want then?”

“I don’t know, but I do know this isn’t it.”

\-----

He worked the rest of the day on the VR system, trying to come up with an answer to Liam’s question, if for no other reason than for himself. He didn’t know what he was doing. Walking out of the building, alone, he thought of how he’d get out of talking to Sylia. Liam went home hours ago, but he wanted as much of that system done as possible today, to make it easier for the rest of the week and maybe just for some quiet. Quiet didn’t exist in that house. He pulled out his phone and texted Atem to ask the others where a good bar would be that wouldn't involve getting into another fight. 

Within seconds his phone rang nonstop with texts from a group chat. He didn't recognize any of the numbers but he assumed it was all of them. They just kept listing bars then someone else or a few of them would nix them based on some story they had at it. After about ten minutes of seeing his phone constantly updating the messages he rolled his eyes and started to put it away. Then he saw a very familiar texting style pop up. 

‘Come on guys I’m working just go to Jynx it’s across from the shop tell them you know me hell show them your fucking lip you’ll be fine.’

Then his phone erupted in messages of agreement and stories again. He made a mental note to read them later and shoved it in his pocket. Since he had no idea where Jou’s shop was, he hailed a cab and tried to describe it to the driver. He knew immediately what he was talking about and the bar as well. 

The cab dropped him off in front of the bar and then drove away. He turned to look at the sign for the shop and started laughing. “Sentimental idiot.” 

He was still snickering to himself when he walked into the bar. This place was classier than the other bar, by a long shot, but it’s patrons were similar. Relaxed and mellow, barely talking to each other and looking half asleep. It was Monday after all. He didn’t expect much more. Making his way to the bar, he sat down on a stool and waited, staring at the bottles and the decor. He decided, sitting there looking around at familiar yet unfamiliar pictures of race cars, sports cars, trucks and whatever else was up there, this was a bar modeled after being by an auto body shop. 

A young woman walked up to him from behind the bar. He could see her hair out of the corner of his eye but he didn’t really pay attention to her until she started talking. “Let me guess… Corbin!”

Kaiba looked down at her with wide eyes. “Shizuka?”

“Oh wow and you know my name too!” Shizuka giggled and ducked behind the bar. “I didn’t think Katsuya still talked about me.”

“I uh…” Shit. “He didn’t. Mokuba did.” Great. That was a nice save…

Shizuka lifted herself up a little so he could see her eyes over the bar. “Oh he did, did he?”

“...Yes.”

“Tell that asshole he owes me dinner.”

Kaiba blinked at her. “What?”

She stood up and set a glass on the bar, scooting it over to him. It was a rusty nail, just like he’d had at the other bar. “Here. This one’s more your style,” she said with a smirk. 

He picked it up and brought it to his lips. After taking a sip he realized she was leaning over the bar, staring at him. “It is better. A lot better.”

“It’s a gift,” she sighed, still smiling. 

“So… why does Mokuba owe you dinner?”

“Because,” she giggled, “I paid for the last one. It’s his turn.”

“Are you dating?”

She gave him a cat like grin. “We’re dinnering”

Kaiba snickered, “That isn’t a word.”

“So what brings you here?”

“I didn’t want a drink that someone would spit in.”

She started laughing. “Hideo isn’t that bad.”

“I’m glad everyone else thinks so.”

“Everyone who isn’t trying to get in Katsuya’s pants, yeah.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her. 

“And that’s why you’re here isn’t it? He sent you here.”

Kaiba scooted the glass over her. “I was promised a spit free drink.”

“You weren’t promised a polite spit free drink.”

He saw the overly protective fire in her eyes and it made him grin. “I’m not trying to do anything but get a drink.”

“Hideo thought you were.”

“That’s because_ he’s _ trying to get at Jou. Where’s my spit free drink?”

Her frown softened just a little. “I told you it’s fine.”

“I don’t believe you.”

She picked it up and dumped it out, then went to making him another one, above the counter this time, as if to prove she didn’t do anything. She slid the glass over to him, sloshing a little of it over the edge. “He’s been through a lot.”

“So have I.”

“Did you lose your soulmate in a horrific accident you had to watch?”

Kaiba just stared at her. He decided to just brush over the fact she said ‘soulmate’. Now wasn’t the time to get into all of that; emotionally or verbally. So, no, to answer her question. No he didn’t. But at the same time _ yes _. Yes he really did. He was watching it right now. He was living it right now. He had nightmares about it all the damn time. “No.” 

“Then you don’t get it.”

“Everyone’s going through something.”

“That’s the same crap Mokuba says.”

“He’s right.”

“Oh really? What’s so horrible that you have going on?”

“I woke up in a hospital with zero memories of anything. Apparently I used to be a heroin addict and almost killed myself. I’m still constantly dealing with that and I don't even remember doing it,” he said then took a sip of his drink. It tasted the same, maybe she didn’t spit in it.

“Is that why you got into that bar fight? Someone called you a drug addict?”

He tisked and shook his head, bringing the glass to his lips again. “No.”

“Then why?”

“The same reason you’re giving me shit right now; looking out for my family.”

Shizuka didn’t say anything for a while, then leaned back on the counter looking into his eyes, making him suddenly uncomfortable. “What?”

“I don’t see it.”

“See what?”

“Katsuya, Mokuba, Yuugi… all of them said you’re like Kaiba, but I don’t see it at all.”

Kaiba leaned on the bar too, matching her height. “So let me get this straight. You’re giving me shit because they said I’m like Jou’s dead boyfriend? How do you have a job here?”

“I half own this bar.”

“Which half so I can sit on the other side,” he barked back, sitting up right. He was about to go into a rant about how much it pissed him off they kept saying that, but it _ was _him. 

She broke out into a wide grin. “There it is.”

“All you’re doing is convincing me I should leave.”

“I thought so too.” She frowned, then smiled sadly. “But I think I’m wrong.”

“How are you getting that?”

She walked over to some glasses and started to clean them. “When Katsuya said you were like Kaiba I freaked out thinking he was getting himself right back to where he was a year ago, and you are like him, but I think in different ways.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, he knows what he’s doing.” She then looked up at him with a coy smile. “What I don’t get is why you’re not screaming at everyone to stop comparing you to him. I don’t know about you but if Mokuba compared me to some girl he dated I’d probably slap him.”

“Jou hasn’t yet.”

“Maybe not to your face.”

“Can’t slap him behind my back.”

She started laughing and nodded. “True.”

“No one’s said it in a bad way until you.”

She sucked in a sharp breath. “Sorry about that… I’m just worried about him.”

Kaiba nodded in understanding and took another drink.

“So you really don’t remember anything?”

“Not a damn thing.”

“How is your family taking it?”

“Better than if I remembered, I’m sure.”

“My dad’s an alcoholic, 10 years sober in a few months. I can sympathize with that.”

“Ironic that you own half a bar.”

She giggled. “My mom said the same thing.”

“Who owns the other half?”

“Moki.”

Kaiba looked up at her over his glass then set it down. “When did that happen?”

“After the first 10 dinners.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her. “So you weren't just giving me shit because of Jou. It’s Mokuba too.”

She winked and made a clicking sound at him. So he drank the rest of the glass and flicked it towards her. She walked over and started making him another one. When she set it down, she tilted her head and smiled at him. “So why did you want a drink?”

“I’m celebrating.”

“Really? Winning a fight?”

He scoffed, “No. I’m quitting.”

“You’re celebrating not having a job?”

“I’m celebrating being able to get any job I want.”

She nodded. “That is a good thing to celebrate.”

“What’re we celebratin’?” Jou plopped down on the bar stool to his left, covered in black grease and oil from head to toe. 

“Corbin just quit his job.”

“Ya sure it’s not that ya were fired?”

“I wasn’t fired. I quit.”

Shizuka put a bottle of beer on the bar for Jou and he immediately started drinking it. She giggled at him and went back to arranging the glasses. Kaiba looked at his scarred hand as he spun his glass around. He had to look just as bad as the deadbeats in the bar. It made him smile. This was really new and different for him.

“How’s business sis?”

“Slow. It’s Monday.” 

He turned to Kaiba and nudged his arm with his elbow. “She givin’ ya any trouble?”

“Yes. Hideo would have made better company. I’m pretty sure she spit in my drink.”

Jou turned to look at her smiling, but Shizuka didn't meet his eyes. So she did spit in his drink!

“Shizuka!”

“What? 

“What the fuck?”

“Don’t give me that. You did something like that to Moki too.”

“I didn’t spit in his drink!”

“No you screened my phone calls for a month and he thought I hated him.”

Kaiba started laughing. He missed that? How could he miss that? He thought about where he would be when Jou did that. Probably the day he ran around trying to get his haircut, meanwhile Jou was trying to completely sabotage Mokuba. Not that he wouldn’t have done the same thing. He just wished he was there. “You have got to stop meddling in other people's business.”

“Right?!”

“Who the hell do ya think ya are?” Jou shouted at him, but he just turned to look him dead in the eye.

“Someone who just got my drink spit in by a bartender you recommended.”

“I didn’t know she was gonna do that.”

Kaiba just snickered and shook his head. Then he looked over his shoulder at the shop through the bar windows and back at Jou. “Rusty Dragon? Is that really a good name for an auto shop? How do you get customers?”

Jou actually blushed and leaned over the bar shrugging his shoulders. “Everyone gets a good laugh.”

Shizuka started giggling, “We joke about it here all the time.”

“So… what’re ya gonna do now? Got another job in line?”

“No. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Well,” Jou said, sitting up, “I’m lookin’ for a new mechanic if that’s somethin’ you’re interested in.”

“You work on cars too?” Shizuka asked.

Kaiba nodded then turned to Jou. That was exactly what he wanted, but Jou was asking him as a friend, and that wasn’t what he wanted. Then again, it would give him more time with Jou. He sat there weighing his options, turning away to look at the bar and take another drink. “How do you know I’m any good?”

“I don’t, but I don’t see why ya wouldn't be. Ya worked on cars before and ya helped design an engine. It’s not that different.”

“It’s a lot different.”

“How ‘bout ya try it, ‘n if ya don’t wanna do it or I think you’re shit, I just fire ya.”

Kaiba mockingly smirked at him. “You aren’t going to feel bad firing a friend?”

Jou snorted and laughed. “Ya family’s loaded and workin’ for Moki. Nah I’ll sleep just fine.”

“I’ll come by when I’m done with the VR system then.”

Jou smiled at him. “Deal.”

They spent the rest of the night talking about the shop, the cars and people they'd seen come through. When he finally got home late that night, he felt like he might be making too many big decisions all in one day. He quit his job, told Moki who he was and suddenly got hired at Jou’s shop. It was all what he wanted, and it was too late to stop it now, but he couldn’t help but feel anxious and excited about everything playing out. He did his part to get it going, now he just needed to keep it going.


	10. Chapter 10

A month later, he sat at the island in the kitchen debating on eating something, but he didn’t know what he wanted. He wanted something sweet, he decided. So he got up from the stool and grabbed the ice cream from the freezer. He took a spoon from the drawer, then sat back down. He wished he had some fudge but vanilla worked just fine. 

He finished the VR system in a week, started working with Jou the next day, and he’d worked there for the last three weeks. It was different than he was used to. Jou picked up a lot of different tricks in the last two years but he was catching up. They worked on cars he’d never seen before with brand’s he’d never heard of, and it showed, but that didn’t slow him down. At least he felt like he knew what he was doing, maybe not as fast or as efficient as it should be, but he was doing it.

His gamble to work with Jou was paying off. Not only did he get to spend more time with him, he was a lot closer to him. Jou texted him all the time, he worked right beside him, and by the end of the month, Kaiba was pretty sure he was flirting with him. Shizuka was right about one thing though. Sometimes he’d do something subconsciously, say something off handed, that would spark something and Jou would coil back. Getting him back turned into a big game of patience and strategy, and he loved it.

Atem came into the room, pulling him from his thoughts. Kaiba started to say something to him, but he moved around the kitchen, grabbed a spoon and slumped down into the stool across from Kaiba with a troubled frown. He watched him dig into the ice cream too, wondering what he was thinking. Kaiba hadn’t seen Atem much in the last month. Anzu got him a job at a salon in the city, and he spent a good deal of time outside of work with Yuugi, so he’d assumed he was doing well. Right now that assumption was tossed out the window.

Atem pursed his lips and sighed through his nose. “I need to talk to you about something,” he said, then looked up at Kaiba smirking, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes, “and you’re going to hate it.”

“What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Then we don’t need to talk about it.”

Atem grabbed the ice cream from him and frowned again. “It’s important.”

Kaiba sighed and motioned with the spoon for him to put it back. “Fine.”

“So…” Atem pushed the ice cream back between them. “Things with Yuugi have been really great.”

“I hate this conversation already.”

“It gets better,” Atem said sarcastically, “I spent the night at his place.”

“It’s getting worse.”

“I don’t want to have this conversation with you either,” Atem said, and Kaiba noticed he was being very serious instead of teasing him. “You’re the only one I can talk to about this.”

“You have 5 other friends.”

“I can’t talk to them about this. Not even Sylia or Liam.”

Kaiba had the nagging suspicion this had to do with him being Atem and not Red, so he stopped glaring at him. “Go on.”

“Anyway…” Atem shifted uncomfortably in his chair and dug into the ice cream. “He called me by my name.”

“Come again?”

“I was sleeping with him and he called me by  _ my _ name.”

Kaiba sat there; not really sure whether to be incredibly uncomfortable with the conversation or bust up laughing. “Okay... what did you do?”

Atem looked away and then back at him. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Okay, so there’s no problem.”

“There’s a big problem, Kaiba. First of all, it wasn’t a one time thing, it happened twice, and second of all, I didn't react at all.”

“Pretend you didn’t notice.”

“How do you not to notice? Has that ever happened to you before?”

“No.”

“Well it has to me and trust me, you notice.”

Kaiba’s jaw had to hit the table. “Please tell me that was you making the mistake.”

Atem shook his head. “Really shitty seven years.”

Kaiba tried to recover from that and get back on topic. He frowned at the ice cream then looked back up at Atem. “Did Yuugi say anything about it?”

“No he didn’t. He went to sleep and I thought I’d try to talk to him about it the next day but that was three days ago, he hasn’t said a word to me since.”

“That’s not good.”

“No it isn’t.”

“I don’t understand why he’d be avoiding you unless he’s just embarrassed.”

Atem rest his head on his knuckles, with his elbow propped up on the table. “It could mean he’s changed his mind.”

“About what?”

“About me.”

“Is that what you’re worried about?”

“Yes.” Atem threw the spoon down and laid his arm on the table. “I told him I’d come back and asked him to wait for me. I didn't think it would be this long. I’m not… I’m not the same. He can see it.”

“I didn’t know you asked him to wait.”

“I thought you knew about us?”

“I did, but he never said you’d asked him to wait. I thought he did it on his own.”

Atem smiled fondly. “I asked him to wait a few years max. The rest was on his own.”

“I don’t think you did anything to make this happen.”

“I should’ve said something then.”

“Probably, but if he did change his mind, I don’t think you could’ve stopped it.” The completely heartbroken look on Atem’s face had him racing to think of something else to say. “But I’m telling you, he’s just embarrassed.”

“Maybe.”

“Do you want to go over and talk to him?”

“No. I’ll give him time to do what he needs to.”

Kaiba nodded and looked at Atem’s spoon, then back up at him. He sighed through his nose. He really didn’t  _ want _ to know, but after that, curiosity got the better of him. He had to know. “Since you can’t possibly tell me anything worse than that, why don’t you tell me everything.”

“What?”

“About the last seven years. I want to know.”

“I thought you said you didn’t care?”

“I didn’t before, but after that, I have nothing to lose.”

Atem snickered and shook his head. “Okay, Kaiba. I could use something else to think about anyway. Not that it’s any better but…” He got up and crossed the room to the fridge. “Do you want something to drink?”

“No.”

“Okay.” He walked back around the island with a beer in his hands and popped it open.

“Beer and ice cream?”

“It’s a sweeter beer.”

“Suit yourself.”

He took a swig of it and made a face, then burst into laughter. “Okay you were right.”

Kaiba gave him a smug grin and waited for him to say something else.

Atem took a deep breath. “I told you I had a family. Um. We didn’t live in Pitoka. We actually lived in a different town closer to Missouri. When I first got there, I did the complete opposite thing you did. I tried everything I could to get them to realize I wasn’t… Aloysius.”

Kaiba snickered at the way he said it, like the name was Bitters on his tongue. “Haven’t you seen enough horror movies with Ryou to know not to do that?”

“Apparently not. I really tried to get them to see I wasn’t him, but the more I fought, the more they fought back. It got really bad. I resented them for not listening to me and they were confused and frustrated. My situation was a little different than yours. Al had depression. He was taking medicine for it and had a regular doctor he went to. So I had to talk to him too. I think at one point I was diagnosed as schizophrenic because of all that, but I dumped the medicine down the drain. The night I did that, I tried talking to them one more time. If it didn’t work I was just going to walk out and leave. I was hurting them staying there and it was hurting me. 

I explained to them that nothing there was mine. I didn’t remember it. I didn’t like it. I had other interests and likes and desires than he did, but I think I said it more in a way that you did. Instead of saying ‘I’m not him’ I think I said ‘I’m not sure who I am’ and they actually got it. For a few months they redid everything with me; showed me pictures, told me stories about our family, paid attention to things I liked instead of things that he liked. They told me if I still wanted to go back here in a year, they’d pay for my ticket and anything else I needed. So I changed how I was acting too. Especially for my sister.”

“You had a sister?”

“Yeah he had, or I had a little sister named Sarah. She was about 7, I think, and she was a little princess if I'd ever met one in my life,” Atem grinned, “and I have.”

Kaiba shook his head at him, smiling. “So.”

“So things were great. What else can I say? I was going home in a year. It wasn’t right then but a year was doable. Yuugi would wait for me. I knew he would. So I started learning how to be there, instead of demanding to leave. Sarah and I made a gift for my dad.” He started looking around him, then down the hall. “Hold on.”

Kaiba watched him walk out of the room to his bedroom and return with the tackle box he used to have his make up in. He set it on the island and opened it. Instead of seeing a mess of makeup containers, he saw faded stickers of Disney princesses and glitter swirls and a message in the bottom of it, ‘to Daddy love Sarah and Al.’ 

Atem smiled fondly at it then laid on the side of it. “Danny,” he said with a little bit of bite, “used to live next door to them. His family and my family didn’t get along. They were strict and religious. You had to do things their way or they didn’t like you. Apparently, even Al wasn’t straight or quiet about it and they hated him for it. What they hated the most was Al and Danny were really good friends.

He used to sneak out of his house to come over and hang out, even when it was me. I kept telling him I wanted nothing to do with him, but he kept coming over. When I agreed to give them a chance, I thought it was best to give him a chance too. Even though I regret giving him chances after that, I’m glad I did then. He saved my life.”

“That’s right. You said something about a fire.”

“Everything about a fire.”

“You had a little sister… she died in the fire too?”

Atem stared down at the tackle box. “Yeah. Danny’s parents were out of town for a few days so he stayed over at the house with me and Sarah. We all camped out in the living room. I remember mom put something in the dryer upstairs before she went to bed. That thing was loud. It took me hours to fall asleep. 

I woke up to Danny shaking me awake. He thought I was dead and I’m not surprised. I could barely breathe. I kept coughing and I couldn’t really see. It was so hot in there. I grabbed Sarah, but I couldn’t get her to wake up. She was sleeping on the sofa. Danny and I were sleeping on the floor. It’s the only reason we made it out of there alive. When the ambulance and fire trucks showed up, Danny and I were trying to get her to breathe.”

Atem stopped talking, touching some of the faded stickers on the inside of the tackle box. “I thought that was the worst day of my life, of all my lives, and in a lot of ways it was, but it was just getting started. Apparently I had an aunt, the executor of my parents estate, and she had a problem with Al and had an even bigger problem with me. She collected the money from the insurance, sold everything that was still standing, and went back to the rock she slithered out from under. I didn’t see a dime of it. I didn’t get to go to my parent’s funerals or my sister’s. I literally had nothing. I had to sneak back into the garage before she’d got her hands through it just to get this. 

When I tried to fight that, the lawyer told me that’s exactly how it works. I was 18. Technically I was an adult and she wasn’t obligated to give me anything not expressed in the will, and my parents hadn’t filled it out since before I was born. So I wasn’t even on it.”

Kaiba just stared at him. 

“The only funny part about that was thinking about you. You knew exactly how that felt and were probably waking up from a dead sleep or stopping in the middle work to cackle at me.”

“I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy Atem.” Then he started laughing, “But at the time, yes, I probably would have.”

Atem laughed too. “See?”

“So what did you do? How did you get out of that?”

“Danny got kicked out of his house for being over there with me in the first place. We stayed with one of his friends until I got a job at some fast food place. Then we got an apartment together. I had no way of leaving at that point so that thought was completely off the table. I really missed Sarah and I really missed home, and one thing Sarah and I used to do together was makeovers. I remember her telling me I was really good at it, just like Anzu did. But honestly, Sarah was 7 and would have literally been happy with anything I did with her. I loved doing it though. I loved seeing her light up when I was finished and she looked in the mirror at herself. So I went to school for it at a college near Pitoka. Danny went with me. Working every second of every day to pay for it sucked, but I did it.

When I finished school, I was up to three years away and starting on the fourth year. And the anniversary of the fire and third year of me still being stuck in that hell got to me. That was the time I gave Yuugi to wait for me. It meant I missed it and I lost him. I don’t remember a lot of that year. Like I said, Ramen and lots and lots of Nattie light. Let me put it this way, so you can get an idea of how bad that year was.“ He crossed his arms over the table and looked at him. “I saw you a lot that year.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Corbin.”

“That’s the year before he OD’d.”

“Yep.”

“Are you trying to tell me you did heroin?”

“No. I drank and smoked with the crowd Corbin hung out with before he’d leave to shoot up.”

“So you actually knew Corbin?”

Atem nodded.

“So what was that fucking idiot like?”

“Very straight.” Both of them laughed then Atem shifted. “He was abrasive and condescending like you are, but specifically meaning it to be hurtful not to prove a point like you do. I don’t know. When you do it it pisses me off, when he did it, I stopped talking to him. Which was what everyone should’ve done to deal with him I guess, because the next time I talked to him, he was trying really hard to be somewhere near nice. He was absolutely brilliant like Liam and didn’t take shit from anyone like Sylia.”

“So what the hell happened?”

“I actually asked him that one day when he was really high, and I’m not sure if I should tell you.”

“Why not?”

“It’s really bad.”

“Just tell me.”

“Alright, you asked. You know that poster you ripped off the wall?”

“The one of the model?”

“Yes. Well Corbin had a girlfriend who looked almost exactly like that and she got him started on cocaine.”

“That is the stupidest reason-”

“No, no wait,” Atem said, waving him off, “I’m not done. She was a complete mess and he told me he knew that going in and he was trying to help her cause... you know.”

“Yes I know. It’s still a stupid reason.”

“I’m not arguing with you. Anyway, he said that she had a son, only a couple months old, if I remember right.”

Kaiba straightened up. “I don’t know if I want to know this.”

“You really don’t. It’s bad.”

Kaiba frowned at Atem, looked at the front door and muttered some curses under his breath. He ran his fingers through his hair, leaning on the table. “Just hurry up.”

“He said he came home one day and she didn’t answer when he called for her. He went looking for her and found her passed out on the bed with a needle in her arm… and the baby was under her not moving. He said he called 911 because he had no idea what to do and she was dead to the world. So when the police showed up, they arrested both of them. Corbin said he found out later, when Liam and Sylia bailed him out, she’d suffocated the baby from passing out on him.”

“You have to be kidding me.”

Atem shook his head.

“So that’s why he OD’d?”

“Sort of. He said he went to visit her in prison. She told him she never wanted to see him again and yelled at him for calling the police on her. The way he explained it was, he realized she kept him around her just to buy drugs. The baby, which he found out was his after visiting her, her relationship with him, and getting him hooked on drugs too was just her trying to keep him there so she’d have what she wanted when she wanted it. He said she completely destroyed his life.”

“Liam and Sylia would’ve helped him.”

“He didn’t want them to. You saw that house. You saw what they went through and he realized it then. He said he didn’t have any reason to stop. He wanted to die.”

“Why didn't you do anything?”

“What could I have done? Aside from give him a patented ‘you have a lot to live for’ speech that he would have tried to kill me for? No. There was nothing I could have done. I promised him I’d take care of Sylia and Liam if anything happened to him, though. That’s all I could do.”

“Why would you make that promise when you were trying to get here?”

“I told you. I gave up on that.”

“Does this story get any better?”

Atem started laughing. “Yes. So I stopped going to that when Corbin OD’d. I put all of my extra money into starting a salon, hired Danny and a few other friends and it was doing… okay. I made even for a year, but I’m still really proud I kept it standing. There’s no one out there.”

Kaiba snickered, “You’re right about that.”

“The salon started making a little bit of money after that first year. And I was starting to feel a little better, then a guy came in who wanted some really crazy stuff done to his hair. He was there for 6 hours. The longer I talked to him the more and more he reminded me of everything I love about Yuugi. So, since I’d resigned myself to the fact I was stuck, I asked him out. We dated for maybe 2 months when  _ that _ happened.”

“He called you someone else’s name?”

“Yes, but it gets better. He called me his ex- _ girlfriend's _ name.”

Kaiba was laughing so hard his stomach hurt. “That’s not right.”

“No it’s not. I was so mad. I’m still mad.”

He wanted to say he would be too but he was laughing too hard to do that. 

“I’m glad you think this is so funny because I did not. Not at all. I left his apartment really upset and it was raining, I was driving a little too fast and slid off the road.”

Kaiba stopped laughing but his smile remained. “You just can’t catch a break, can you?”

Atem shook his head smiling. “No I really can’t. The car flipped and I was stuck in it. I saw Al kneeling in front of the window, smiling at me. Which scared the shit out of me, but I couldn’t move. They took me to the hospital and I’m not really sure what was going on. I remember standing in the room, watching everything right beside Al. He told me he wasn’t going to let me die. We hadn’t done whatever it was he wanted me to do yet, but I had to get you. I made that deal before I ever talked to Al. I don’t know how he did it, but he kept me alive long enough for me to get you. Corbin didn’t agree to help me at first. I had to convince him you wouldn’t continue his life, more like jump start it.”

Kaiba nodded to himself. Well he did do that, that’s for sure. He tried everything he could to erase Corbin from existence and asimilate what he couldn’t get rid of. Then he looked at Atem and sighed. “This all sounds ridiculous.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Atem smirked. “If I weren’t living it, I wouldn’t believe it.”

“I still don’t believe it.”

He snickered, shaking his head and looking down at the tacklebox again. “When I got out of the hospital, I knew you’d be there, but I still wasn't sure I wanted to go back anymore. I really thought you wouldn’t want to go back either.”

Kaiba sat up a little straighter and frowned at him. “Why would you think that?”

“I didn’t know about you and Jou, and you’d have the option to start something new. I thought you’d chose to do that.”

“I couldn’t just leave Mokuba either.”

“No, but if you started a new company you’d see him all the time again. You didn’t HAVE to go back.”

Kaiba crossed his arms over the island and relaxed a little. He was right. He could have done that. It was something he’d thought about before. “So when you asked me to come with me, you genuinely didn’t know where I was going to go.”

He shook his head and smiled. “I love Yuugi. I wanted to be here, but I had no idea if that even existed anymore. Everything I tried to do failed, either way. So I stopped trying to do anything and just let things happen. I know you hate hearing it but I do trust you. I wouldn’t have risked everything to bring you back if I didn’t.”

Kaiba shifted uncomfortably on the stool and looked away from Atem. “So why did it take another year before I woke up there?”

Atem leaned back a little and sighed. “I think Corbin wanted to make sure I kept my promise. He wanted me to take care of Sylia and Liam, and I think he stuck around to make sure I did. So while I was waiting, I started telling everyone I had a boyfriend that I talked to online so no one else would ask me about it. I ran into Sylia in the grocery store and started coming over to help her out and take her to the hospital. Then Danny started talking about partnering,” Atem said bitterly and sighed, “I eventually agreed so he’d leave me alone about it, but when we signed the paperwork for it, apparently, he renamed the whole thing for himself. I found out about that about the time you got here. It’s one of the reasons I was over all the time, aside from making sure you were doing better than I did. I wanted nothing to do with him anymore.”

“And he just thought you were going to go out with him after that?”

Atem scoffed, “He thought I liked you. That’s what he thought, and because of that, he decided if he couldn’t be with me no one could. I should’ve hit him when I found out about the salon but I didn't. He was there for me through everything. I thought he was trying to help. He kept saying he did it so I could leave, but he took all the money that business made so I couldn’t.” Atem then took a deep breath to calm down. Kaiba watched him go from frowning to smiling with a quirked brow. Then he snickered and shook his head. “I think it’s crazy that the best thing that happened to me in those seven years was you. You handled everything a lot better than I ever did and you got me home.”

“You brought me back. I think we’re even.”

Atem rubbed his eyes and swept his hands back over his hair, making his bangs fall back in his face. He sighed, blowing out his cheeks, and stared at the tacklebox. “With my luck Yuugi will come over in a few days to break up with me. It would go right along with the last seven years I’ve had.”

Kaiba wanted to say something to make him feel better about all of that, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. He turned his attention to the melted ice cream container and put the lid back on it. He got up to put it in the freezer, talking to Atem over his shoulder. “I need a strong drink after that, I don’t know about you.”

“That sounds great.”

\-----

The next day at work Kaiba was a little distracted worrying about Atem. Yuugi still wasn’t talking to him. He thought about texting Anzu or Ryou to ask them about it, but he still wasn’t that good of friends with any of them. He also hated the meddling. Maybe he should ask Jou. He probably meddled already so it wouldn’t be him, per say, just Jou. 

“Watch it!”

Kaiba looked up and saw several people running towards him but he wasn’t really sure why. Then he turned and saw one of the cars moving right for him. He felt arms around him pull him back out of the path of the car. Then heard someone say, “I’ve got you.”

Suddenly, he wasn’t in the shop anymore. He was strapped into his seat in the jet, headed straight for the ocean surface. He felt the harness pressing into his chest and the weight of certain death on his shoulders. The lights were all out. Nothing worked. Nothing could stop it from happening. He heard nothing, and stared wide eyed at the fast approaching ocean until everything went black.

\----

He woke up to beeps again, and he was petrified to open his eyes. If this turned out to be some elaborate bullshit dream or something he’d punch the first person to talk to him. So he took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He was honestly surprised to see Jou angrily pacing beside him bed, still in his mechanics outfit. He watched him pace for a minute with a smirk on his lips. Jou was so completely lost in whatever he was angry about, he didn’t even notice Kaiba staring at him.

“I guess I do owe you a fight with no explanation, but I'm pretty sure the floor would win.”

Jou’s head snapped up and the relief that lit up in his eyes made Kaiba’s stomach twist. He ran over and the relief disappeared to panic and anger. Oh. So he was angry with him. “What the hell was that?”

Kaiba pushed himself up and groaned, rubbing his head. “What was what?”

“You scared the shit outta all of us!” 

A doctor walked in about then and smiled at Jou. “Yelling at him isn’t going to make his headache any better, Mr. Jounouchi.”

Jou balled his fists, but at least he stopped yelling. She walked around him and put a hand on Kaiba’s shoulder, studying him. “How are you feeling aside from that headache it looks like you have, Mr. Anderson?”

“Fine I guess. What happened?”

“You had a moderate seizure. I believe this is a one time thing, though that doesn’t require any treatments yet. However I think it best to stay away from any heavy machinery for the next month or so to make sure.” Then she smiled. “I read your health records and see that you woke up from a coma not quite a year ago. It may be related or it might have to do with that fight you got into. Did you get a concussion?”

“No.”

She nodded and looked him over again before standing up straight. “I’ll get your discharge paperwork together so you can go home and write a prescription for that headache of yours.”

Kaiba nodded to her and she walked out of the room. Jou looked uncomfortable, fidgeting and refusing to look at him. “Do you need to sit down?”

“Why’re ya worried what I’m doin’?”

Kaiba snickered, “Stop being mad at me. I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Jou puffed and shoved his hands in his pockets, still looking uncomfortable. 

“Just sit down. You’re making me anxious.”

He looked around for a chair and Kaiba rolled his eyes at him. He scooted over so Jou could sit on the bed, happy he didn’t complain about that too. His head really hurt. Leaning back, he put his hands on his temples, hoping it would help but he felt like it was behind his eyes. Behind his right eye. 

Next thing he knew, the back of a cold hand laid over his eyes. He sighed at the instant relief and moved Jou’s hand over to the right side and held it there. “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Jou murmured, “Sis get’s migraines behind her eyes all the time. Figured if it helped her, it’d help you.”

He was about to say he knew that and he didn’t need to explain himself, but he just let it go. “Where’s my parents?”

“Gettin’ a drink. Should be back soon.”

“I’m surprised you’re here.”

He would’ve given anything to see Jou’s face when he answered, but his head hurt too much to move. “I don’t get many guys droppen half dead in the shop. Ya freaked me out.”

Jou curled his fingers around Kaiba’s, making him grin and internally celebrate the victory. Jou started snickering making him shift and regret it. He instantly shifted back. “What?”

“Ya ‘n that fuckin’ smug-”

“He’s awake?!”

Kaiba’s grin didn’t budge when Sylia swept into the room. He could hear her running over to the bedside. What he didn’t expect was Jou to move. So when he did, Kaiba tightened his grip on his hand. He wasn’t going anywhere. Jou snickered again, “Sorry Sylia. He ain’t lettin’ me move.”

“That’s okay sweety. The doctor said he had a headache.”

“We passed her in the hallway. She’ll be here soon with your discharge papers,” Liam said from somewhere behind Sylia on the other side of the bed. 

“Good.”

“So ya needin’ a month off?” Jou asked.

“A month?” Kaiba scoffed, “Doesn’t that seem excessive?”

“Yeah, maybe a couple days but a month is a lot,” Sylia added.

Jou laughed. “The doc said a month.”

“She said not to drive for a month. I can still work.”

“Ya gotta drive them too ya know.” 

“Someone else can do that.”

“Please don’t leave him with us for a month with nothing to do. He’ll destroy the house,” Sylia rasped, and Jou laughed. “I’m serious. I won’t have a single appliance that won’t be dismantled.”

“I need coffee. You have to keep him,” Liam insisted with a playful chuckle.

“I would never do that to the coffee maker.”

“True,” Sylia countered, ”but I’m NOT hand washing dishes.”

“I would do that.”

Jou flexed his fingers and tightened his grip on Kaiba’s hand. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Fine, but ya ain’t touchin’ anythin’ I say no ta.”

“Deal,” Sylia and Liam said in unison.

“Betrayed by my own parents.”

A nurse came in with the discharge paperwork, which Sylia and Liam filled out with Jou’s help. Kaiba was useless in seeing anything and he wasn’t trying to move unless he had to. So when that time came, he begrudgingly let go of Jou’s hand and squinted at how bright the room was. He followed them out of the hospital to the front circle where Liam had his car parked. Apparently, Jou rode in the ambulance with Kaiba to the hospital, so he needed a ride home. He was surprised when they sat in the car and Jou put his other hand on his eye. He laid back against the seat and held him still, just like he did in the hospital. 

He felt so stupid for being so happy about something so small. He barely touched Jou’s hand, more like holding onto his fingers, but to him, it was the first time he touched Jou in years. This meant the world to him. He opened his other eye every now and then as they drove to his apartment, seeing Jou leaned back against the back seat, grinning at him. Not exactly an ‘I got you’ grin like Kaiba was giving him, more like a ‘this is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen’ grin. He didn’t know if that was warranted or not, but it probably was. 

Liam stopped outside Jou’s apartment building and Kaiba had to let him go. He watched him, through the sharp pain, get up and give him one final crooked grin before leaving. Sylia watched Jou walk inside and waited until the door shut, then shifted in her seat. Putting her arm back into the back seat, she kept her eyes on the door. Kaiba looked at what was in her hand, blinking, and saw it was a cold can of soda. “How long have you had that?”

“Whole time. Yes I did.” She smirked, turning her attention away from the door and to him, winking. “I didn’t want to steal your thunder.”

Liam looked in the rear view mirror at him, “So. Was that just a seizure or did something else happen?”

“I don’t know. It probably was. I just remember some idiot not putting on the emergency break on one of the cars and it almost hit me. I guess Jou grabbed me and then…” Kaiba sighed, not liking the memory at all, “I felt like I was back on the jet when it crashed.”

Liam and Sylia shared a look before she turned around in her seat. She laid her cheek against it and held herself there with her hand, giving him a loving smile. “I’m really sorry, honey.”

“It’s fine. Wasn’t a total loss.” He tapped the can, making her giggle. 


	11. Chapter 11

Two days later, his migraine was gone. It was Friday and he was itching to get out of the house. He decided to run by the shop and wait for Jou to get off work to walk over to the bar. He could wait at the bar by himself, but he wanted to see Jou. He leaned against a steel counter and watched him roll around under a car, barking at him if he got too close. “Ya ain’t workin’.”

“I can still help.”

“No! Monday ya can help.”

“What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Stuffin’ my face with chips ‘n watchin’ a James Bond marathon on the couch. What are ya plannin?”

“Do you want to get dinner?”

Jou rolled out from under the car, looked at him, then rolled back under it. “Ask me in a month.”

“What’s happening in a month?”

“I’ll be sure ya ain’t gonna keel over on me.”

Kaiba started laughing, then cleared his throat. “Katsuya, that’s not funny.”

His laughter grew from under the car. “It kinda is though.”

“So is that a yes?”

Jou rolled out from under the car and sat up, resting his arms on his knees. “... Yeah. Sure, why not?”

“You have some good reasons why not.”

Jou stood up and patted at his pants. “Aside from ya possibly keelin’ over on me?”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. He watched him walk over to the steel bench and put some tools away, smirking. With his back turned, Kaiba raked his eyes over him. His mechanics uniform let a lot to the imagination, but Jou never wore it all the way on. He the top tied around his waist, sporting a dirty tight black undershirt instead. 

His phone went off, but he didn’t stop staring to fish it out of his pocket; only glancing down at it to see who it was. Pressing the phone to his ear, he smiled. “Hey mom.”

“You called me mom,” she gasped, “Ugh. No, not now. Honey, something happened.”

“What?”

“Yuugi came by and-”

Kaiba didn’t miss a beat, pushing back on the counter to stand. “Where is he?”

“He left about an hour ago.”

“Why didn’t you call me earlier?”

“Red told me not to but… I’m really worried. They’re both very upset. Red won’t tell me what happened.” 

At that moment his phone buzzed with a text from Yuugi saying he couldn’t make it to the bar. Jou’s phone went off too. He looked at it then tossed it back on the bench to keep putting things away. “I’ll call you back.” He hung up before she had a chance to say anything else, and frowned at Jou. “What’s that about?”

“I was ‘bout ta ask ya that. What’s up?”

“Why isn’t Yuugi going?”

Jou shrugged his shoulders. 

“Jou…”

“He said he was gonna break up with Red. Ya already got enough goin’ on so I didn’t say nothin’.”

“Did he say why?”

“He said they ‘didn’t click’.”

He had to stop himself from laughing. “And you believed him?”

Jou looked up at him and pursed his lips. “Nah, but I can’t make him do shit.”

“I can.”

Kaiba started to walk by when Jou grabbed his arm. “Ya don’t know what you’re doin’. Ya can’t fix everythin’.”

He stopped and looked at Jou. Maybe not but he couldn't start believing that now. “I’ll meet you at the bar.”

Jou nodded and let him pull away; looking conflicted, but he didn’t say anything else as Kaiba walked out of the shop. Jou and Yuugi didn’t live far, but he had a feeling Yuugi wasn’t at home. He got a cab and hoped the gamble would pay off. He really didn’t feel like making the trek back to the bar on foot. When he got to the game shop and stepped out of the cab, he saw a light on inside and Yuugi walk by. The sign in the window said closed, but he tried the handle anyway. He was honestly surprised when it opened. 

Walking in, he heard Yuugi growl then sniffle. It was a strange combination to say the least. Yuugi stomped into the shop, gesturing to the sign in the window. “We’re close- Corbin?” He blinked then held his hands up. “Look I don’t want to talk to anyone.”

“Tough.”

“Leave.”

“No.”

“Corbin I’m not changing my mind, alright? This has nothing to do with you anyway.”

On the surface and at its core, yes. It had nothing to do with him, but he promised Yuugi and he owed it to Atem to at least try. So that’s what he intended to do. “I just want to talk to you.”

“Fine then talk, but if it’s about Red, I don’t want to hear it.”

“Why did you break up with him?”

“We didn’t cl-”

“Bullshit.”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you.”

“Did you explain yourself to him?”

“I told him, like I’m telling you, we don’t-”

“And it’s still bullshit.”

“How the hell would you know? You don’t know me! You don’t know anything about me. For the last time LEAVE!”

“No.” Kaiba took a step closer to him, making him bristle. “And for the last time; it’s still bullshit.”

“You’re just as bad as Jou. Why does everything have to be a fight with you two?”

“Sometimes it’s what you have to do to get your point across.”

“And what point are you trying to make, aside from telling me how I feel?”

“You’re making a mistake.”

“By doing what? Breaking up with Red?”

“No, by not telling him why.”

“We don’t-”

“Your fake explanations for shit might work on everyone else, but it’s not working on me. Why don’t you just tell him the truth?”

“And what is the truth, Corbin, since you apparently know everything?”

Kaiba sighed, his anger deflating into a little bit of smugness and a little bit of frustration. He, unfortunately, did know a little  _ too much _ about this, but he couldn’t just scream at him that it was Atem and he was being an idiot. He had to come to that conclusion on his own. Which would be fine if he looked like himself and not Corbin. As far as Yuugi was concerned, he had absolutely no ground to stand on. He turned away from Yuugi and walked over to one of the shelves with Stratego on it. He could try and get him to play a game with him and talk, but he was too upset. Plan A scrapped. 

“I think it’s great you’re looking out for Red, but trust me when I say this is better for him.”

“Should’ve lead with that,” Kaiba said, turning to face him, “That’s at least a little closer to the truth.”

Yuugi snarled, “Stop calling me a liar!”

“Stop lying.”

“I’m not!”

Kaiba took a good hard look at Yuugi; red puffy eyes, shaking and giving him a look that could kill. He wondered if this was how he looked fighting with Jou when he snuck him on dates he didn’t want to be on. Then again, Yuugi also appeared to be at his breaking point. He should calm him down. 

“Then give me a good reason you’re throwing away a relationship you want.”

“ _ I don’t want it! _ ”

Kaiba scrapped plan B in a heartbeat. Yuugi wasn’t going to do this willingly. He was still lying. He decided that the best way to get through to someone with a thick skull was the hard way. Or maybe, if he was honest with himself, he missed fighting like this with Jou. The hard way was always more fun. He took a step towards Yuugi and leaned forward, grinning at him.  _ “Liar. _ ”

Something in Yuugi’s eyes snapped, just like wanted it too, and he lunged for him. They weren’t lying about Yuugi being quick. He was up against the shelf before he had a chance to blink. Yuugi pulled his arm back to hit him, hesitating long enough for Kaiba to duck around him. Grabbing his other arm and pushing him up against the shelf, Kaiba held him still. He tried to wiggle and break out of the hold Kaiba had on him, but he wasn’t going anywhere. 

“Let me go!”

“Tell me the truth.”

“I did!”

Kaiba just stood there, waiting. He thought he was going to get the answer he wanted. Yuugi had nowhere to go and no other options. A few more seconds and they should be good.  _ He was dead wrong _ . Yuugi stopped fighting with him and crumpled, sobbing as he sank to the floor. Kaiba had to let him go to keep from hurting him.

At first he stepped back, staring at him, trying to think of what to do. This wasn’t what he expected at all. Yuugi curled into himself, sobbing beside the shelf making Kaiba remember the day after Yuugi’s grandpa died. He came over with Jou to check in on him. Yuugi laid in this almost exact spot crying, after Kaiba made some stupid comment about the shop feeling strange. He felt like a jerk then, just like he did now. 

He stood there for a moment, trying to collect himself and make sure it wasn’t an extremely elaborate trap, then knelt down beside Yuugi. “I’m not trying to hurt you.”

Yuugi shook his head slightly and murmured through his tears, “I know.”

Kaiba moved over to the shelf and leaned against it beside him, letting Yuugi cry. He probably needed it; at least that’s what Jou would tell him if he were there. He stared off into the shadowy shop, looking at the names of the games on the shelves and noting how it was different than the last time he was there. It still felt empty there without Yuugi’s grandfather. He’d always felt that way coming in after Yuugi took it over. If he felt that way, Yuugi had to as well, but he always managed to come here for comfort. It’d be the last place Kaiba would go. 

Yuugi shifted beside him, drawing his attention back. He leaned his shoulder on the shelf and took a calming breath. He sniffled and looked like he was going to cry again but somehow managed to pull himself together. “This is really hard.”

“What is?”

“Breaking up with Red. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” He scoffed and shook his head. “No. Grandpa’s funeral was the hardest. Maybe this is top three.”

Kaiba smirked at him. “So why are you?”

“I’m not ready. I thought I was. It felt right, you know? But I’m not. I don’t think I’ll ever be.”

“You should’ve told him that.”

Yuugi scoffed bitterly, “Yeah. Hey Red, can’t date you anymore cause I’m really heartbroken over this imaginary boyfriend I used to have YEARS ago.’” He laughed. “That’s going to go over great.”

“He’s not imaginary.”

Yuugi looked up at him frowning. “You don’t even know who I’m talking about.”

Kaiba snickered, remembering his conversation with Atem about Jou. “Maybe not, but if you’re this upset I doubt he’s imaginary.” He looked straight ahead and sighed, “Imaginary boyfriends suck.”

Yuugi grinned, despite his tears. “They do!”

They sat in silence after that. Yuugi shifted again so his back was against the shelf then took a dramatic breath. “I still don’t know why you’re here.”

“I… I made a promise. I’m fulfilling it.”

“Promise to who?”

“Does it matter?”

“Depends. What’s the promise?”

Kaiba shifted. How was he supposed to answer that? Damnit. 

“Now who’s secretive.”

“I’m not sure how to answer.”

“With the answer, obviously.”

“It sounds easy, but it’s not when you know no one will believe it.”

Yuugi groaned loud in agreement. “I’ve never related to anything more in my life.” He rest his arms on his knees frowning at nothing. “Why do you think I’m making a mistake? And please don’t say ‘but you looked so happy together’. I’m tired of hearing it.”

Kaiba snickered, “No, that’s not why and that’s also something I can’t answer.”

“You should just say it. It would get this over faster.”

Kaiba turned to look Yuugi dead in the eyes. “If I thought for one second that it would, I would’ve done it already. I’m missing drinks with Jou for this.”

“That’s adorable.”

He groaned and looked away. 

“You both make a cute couple.”

“Thanks…”

“I’m serious.”

“I don’t want to hear that anymore than you do.”

“I’m trying to change the subject. Let me change the subject.” 

“Not a chance.”

Yuugi reached up and fiddled with his bangs, frowning at the ground. Kaiba thought he was going to say something then but he didn’t. So he tried to think of what to say to Yuugi to get him to realize it was Atem, but everything he could think of lead to telling him flat out. Maybe he didn’t have a choice.

“He said he’d be back and I promised him I’d wait for him. It’s been almost eight years. I’m still waiting for him like an idiot. I’m still refusing to believe he’s gone… and he is gone. He’s not coming back.”

Kaiba looked at him, still staring at the ground and fiddling with his hair.

“And I knew that when Kaiba died. I spent two years asking him to get me out. I needed to wait and I needed to accept he wasn’t coming back. That was... “ Yuugi looked up and narrowed his eyes at nothing. “That was almost three years ago and I’m still waiting. I haven’t accepted anything. I just want him back... I can’t...”

“Why do you think it’s been so long?”

Yuugi seemed to coil into himself and he shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe he changed his mind.”

“Doubtful.”

Yuugi smiled, looking over at him. “I’d like to think he just got held up somewhere and he’s still trying to get back to me.”

“So how will you know when he’s here?”

Yuugi looked at him like that was a stupid question. “He’s pretty noticeable.”

“Is he? What if he doesn’t look the same? Or sound the same? What if he’s become someone else over the years. That’s a long time.”

“I… hadn’t thought about that. What if he was one of the people I got out of dates for?”

Kaiba laughed. “I doubt that.”

“Why do you say that?”

“He wouldn’t give up that easy.”

“Probably not,” Yuugi said, sounding suspicious, “Are you trying to insinuate that Red is my imaginary boyfriend?”

“I'm not insinuating anything.”

“It feels like you are.”

“In theory,” Kaiba said, sighing, “he fits.”

“No he doesn’t.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation,” Yuugi said, more to himself than Kaiba and turned, “Red has a family.”

“Had a family.”

Yuugi sucked in his bottom lip. “Yeah had... But, he had a family that he cares about, he opened a business, lived in a completely different country and he dated.”

“You think he wouldn’t?”

“I didn’t.”

“Well you’re a better person than he is, obviously.”

Yuugi giggled. “Okay okay, but seriously he can’t be. That’s too much time.”

“Is it? Did he tell you about his family?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you think it’s strange that he only talks about Sarah being 7 not anything before that?”

“Not till now… but it kind of makes sense. She died then.”

“True, but he never said anything about before that. He never mentions any family before that or friends before that.”

“I never asked.”

“Okay. I’ll play along with that. He came into your shop the day he got here and played a game to get your deck. And he knows how to use it.”

“I’ll give you that one.”

“See?”

“You actually are insinuating he is.” Yuugi sat all the way up away from the shelf to look at Kaiba. “That’s impossible. He’s not the same. His personality is different.”

“You’d be different too if you were stuck in a cornfield for seven years.”

“You actually think it’s him. You’re crazier than I am.”

“Right,” Kaiba tisked. “Who am I to talk? I’m just an ex heroin addict suddenly working on cars in Japan after being personally brought here by the CEO of Kaiba Corp.”

Yuugi made a strange face then pursed his lips. “Alright Corbin. Let’s say I humor you, and it actually is him. Why does that matter to you?”

“He gave me a second chance. I’m repaying him.”

“So why are you talking to me and not him?”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at him. “I don’t think you know how break up’s work.”

Yuugi laughed, and he could see life in his eyes again. Did he believe him? “This is crazy that we’re talking about this. Thank you for making me feel better, but he’s not him.”

“I’m pretty sure he is.”

“You don’t know who he is.”

“I do know who Atem is.”

Yuugi looked at him like he’d seen a ghost. “...I said he.”

“I know what you said. And I know why you’re doing this, but you’re wrong this time. It’s possible he got stuck and it’s possible he’s different because of all that time he’s been away and it’s also possible that’s why you feel like you do.”

Yuugi covered his mouth and stared at him with wide eyes. For a second there, he thought Yuugi wasn’t breathing. “Why... why wouldn’t he tell me when I broke up with him then?”

“You told him you didn’t like him, Yuugi. What was he supposed to say?”

“Call him.”

“What?”

“Call. Him,” Yuugi insisted, pushing his phone over to Kaiba. “I need to know if you’re being serious.”

He dialed his number and put the phone on speaker. “Shouldn’t you go over there?”

“I need to know now.”

“Yuugi?”

Kaiba smiled at the phone, a little shocked he answered. He thought Yuugi was going to talk but he stared him down like he had a knife to his throat. “Fine.”

“Corbin? What are you doing?”

“Don’t give me that. Tell Yuugi who you are.”

And of course. Atem didn’t say a damn thing. Yuugi stared at him, then the phone and started to get mad. 

“Look if you don’t start talking, Yuugi’s going to kill me and Sylia and Liam will be after you.”

“That’s the stupidest threat I’ve ever heard,” Atem scoffed, then sighed into the phone, “Yuugi? Are you even there?”

“Yes, I’m here. Corbin insists you’re Atem.”

“I… I didn’t want to do this over the phone.”

Yuugi made a weird inhuman noise. 

Kaiba waited, but neither said anything after that. “I’d like to get back to the bar sometime tonight, so hurry up.”

“I’m working on it!” Atem moved away from the phone and it sounded like a lot of shuffling was going on then he came back. “I am Atem but I-”

“Prove it,” Yuugi rasped. 

Atem said something, or a lot of somethings, in Egyption he assumed. The more he said, the more Yuugi was breaking down. When he finished, he sighed, “I’m so sorry,  _ partner _ . It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because.. Because I’m not-I’m not the same. I’m different and you noticed every single difference.”

“I did.” Yuugi tried to laugh but it sounded more like a sob. “I made sure to point it out... for me. I was trying to keep from getting my hopes up.”

He said something else in Egyptian and Yuugi laughed. “Oh wow! Yeah you’re right. I should have talked to you then. I still can’t believe you didn’t say anything. How embarrassing would that be if it wasn’t you?” He covered his face, but Kaiba could still see him turning bright red. 

So they were talking about ‘that’. “Thank you for sparing me.”

Atem laughed. “I think once is enough.”

“You told him?!”

“I had to talk to someone. I thought I was losing you.”

“I think I’m going to die.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes. “Can we go now? Is everything fine? No one’s dead yet?”

“Do  _ you _ still want to go, Yuugi?”

“I do!”

“Then I’ll meet you there. Yuugi?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Atem,” he said, beaming as he said his name.

Yuugi hung up the phone, holding it to his chest with one hand and wiping his tears away with the other. He gave Kaiba a sincere smile and started to say something when he stopped. Kaiba watched as several different emotions swept over him, settling on something he couldn’t name even if he wanted to. Yuugi relaxed, his shoulders dropping slightly. “Your promise... “ The expression on Yuugi’s face was mirrored by his own; recognition. “Kaiba?”

He felt himself smile. “Took you long enough, Mutou.”

“But... how?”

“I still don’t really understand how, but Atem did something. So I’m here.”

Yuugi didn’t say anything else. He just kept staring at him. When Kaiba was starting to become uncomfortable Yuugi moved, setting the phone down on the ground and sitting up on his knees. He slid over to him and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him. Kaiba didn’t know what to do at first, so he just sat there. Yuugi pressed his chin into his shoulder. “Thank you for everything.”

“I keep my word.”

Yuugi snickered, “I know you do.” He hugged him tighter. “We really missed you. I missed you.”

If he’d said that a few months ago, Kaiba wouldn’t believe him. He still didn’t fully believe it, even as earnest as Yuugi sounded. He didn’t feel he was someone anyone would miss. Anyone except Mokuba, but even he could go on just fine without him. The fact that all of them said they did, still didn’t make any sense, even Jou. Why? 

Looking round the darkened shop, he missed it. He never gave it a second thought before, but once he didn’t have the chance to be there anymore, he missed it a lot. He missed talking and hanging out with Anzu, Honda, Ryou and Otogi, like they did at the bar, but that was something he’d always said he’d hated. He really did think he hated it, but he looked forward to it now. 

Yuugi was always there, somewhere in the background or right up front. Whether he hung out with Jou or sat around his office working on something, incessantly asking his opinions on the games he made. He was always there, and he really missed that when he wasn’t there anymore. That was something else he thought he hated. Kaiba realized, returning Yuugi’s hug, that he had a very selfish reason for coming here to argue with Yuugi about Atem. He wanted him there, in the background or right up front. Like he was before. 

\----

Yuugi turned the car off, right outside of the bar and sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell Jou? He’d believe you.”

“You believe me. That doesn’t mean he will.”

“We could make him believe you.”

“Maybe,” he said, looking at the bar, then back at Yuugi, “but you of all people should know why I don’t want to do that.”

Yuugi frowned at him. “Are you trying to tell me you think Corbin is better for Jou than Kaiba?”

The question sounded strange and it felt strange being talked about as if he weren't there, but Yuugi had a point. Yes that’s exactly what he thought. He was what Jou wanted now, he wasn’t before.

Yuugi shifted in the seat, turning to face him. “If this was two years ago, while Jou was living with me just after you died, I’d agree with you hands down.” He smirked, gesturing to the auto shop. “But then you did that.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Do you remember when I told you about Jou starting that shop?”

Kaiba nodded.

“I wasn’t lying when I said it was like night and day. He felt it was his fault that you died. He asked you, well as he put it, made you go on that vacation. He thought you didn’t want to go, didn’t want any part of it, just wanted to shut him up and planned to leave early with some excuse for work. Seriously, he said that the whole week before you guys were supposed to go. That’s how he thought it was going to work.”

“Why would he-” Kaiba stopped and shook his head. “That's why I don’t want to tell him.”

“I know. So when Mokuba called freaking out because he found the title to the shop and plans for it and the company in your suitcase,  _ everything _ changed. I know why you don’t want to tell him, but he loves you. He’s not at this bar right now waiting for you because your the polar opposite of what you were before. He’s here because you’re you. No one’s better for Jou than you are.”

He had no idea what to say to that. He kept looking at Yuugi, then the shop then back at him, trying to think of something, anything to say. But the more he thought about it, the more flustered he got. He eventually gave up, scowling at Yuugi’s growing laughter as he opened the car door. Yuugi got out too, still snickering as they walked up to the bar door.

Kaiba expected two things when he walked into the bar; one, for Atem to already be there, and two, for everyone else to be half drunk. So when neither of those things happened, he was a little confused. For a Friday, the bar was dead. Deader than dead. The most people together were their friends, all laced around the bar surrounding Shizuka. None of them looked particularly happy and their drinks untouched. Shizuka looked up at them and her eyes widened. “Holy shit! He did it!”

Jou turned round along with everyone else and groaned, “That’s fuckin’ crap.”

“Yes!” Anzu danced happily on the bar, then hit Jou in the shoulder. “Round of shots Jou. You lost!”

Jou turned completely around and threw his hands to his sides. “Come on Yuug’! That’s like a whole day’s pay for these guys.”

Yuugi giggled. “What’d you bet?”

“He bet he’d pay all of our tabs for the night.”

“Oh no. I bet if Yuug’ showed up, I’d getcha shots.”

“And if Red shows up you have to pay our tabs. Look at that face,” Anzu giggled, pointing to Yuugi, “he’ll be here.”

Right on que, Atem walked in and they  _ lost it. _ Jou spun around to the bar and slammed his hands on it. “I gotta stop bettin’ ya guys.”

Atem laughed and looked completely confused. “What happened?”

Yuugi ran over to him and kissed him. He whispered something to him, then dragged him over to the bar. “Jou’s buying us drinks all night.”

“Top shelf!” Otogi shouted.

Kaiba walked up to the bar and stood behind Jou. “What’s the most expensive thing you have here?”

Shizuka lit up. “He can’t afford that.”

“What is it?”

She walked around to the other side of the bar and opened a cabinet pulling out a bottle of whiskey that was Mokuba and his absolute favorite. “Moki insisted we have at least one bottle and it’s worth double Jou’s annual salary.”

Kaiba grinned. “I’ll take the whole bottle.”

She laughed and brought the bottle over to them. “How about you have as many as you can drink?”

“Deal.”

She giggled, pouring him a glass. 

“Seriously?” Jou gaped at the bottle.

“Shouldn’t have made that bet.”

“Yeah, yeah. So how much is it?”

Kaiba took the glass from over Jou’s shoulder and grinned. “200,000 thousand US dollars or about 21,195,300 yen.”

“FOR WHAT?!”

She giggled and Kaiba snickered, taking a sip. He missed this. 

“If you want my opinion, the bottle.”

Kaiba leaned over Jou to point at it. “Those are real diamonds.”

“You’ve gotta be fuckin’ with me.”

“Real diamonds on a liquor bottle?” Anzu gasped, leaning closer to it. “It is beautiful.”

“It is, but the whiskey is perfection, here.” He held his glass to Jou who recoiled from it like it was poison.

“I don’t think my life insurance would cover a sip ‘o that.”

Kaiba held the glass to Atem who smiled at him, taking it. He sipped it, then turned to Shizuka before handing it back. “I want one to. This is amazing.”

“I told you.”

Anzu leaned over to Shizuka coyly and purred, “I’ll have that glass of wine. You know the one.”

She started laughing and nodded. 

Jou turned to glare at Anzu. “No.”

“Yes.”

“No!”

“Yeesss.” Shizuka came back and handed her a glass of red wine and she sipped it wiggling her eyebrows at Jou. “Yeeeesssss.”

“Tab’s closed, you’re all drunk, let’s go.”

Yuugi giggled. “Shouldn’t bet against Corbin.” Then he turned to Shizuka and grinned. “I’d like some of that wine too.”

“Come on guys! That’s like… we’re at 6 months pay now.”

“Sounds like you bet at the wrong bar.” Shizuka shrugged, grinning at him. “You know Moki. You should know better.”

“I didn’t think ya had a bottle of the most expensive shit in the world!”

“This is nowhere near the most expensive in the world, Katsuya, and it’s not the most expensive in the bar either.” She grinned and everyone perked up. “I’m just not allowed to open those.”

“You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me!”

She shook her head. “Nope. I have a bottle here worth 8 times as much as this whiskey.”

“Where?!” 

She walked around the bar and pulled open a mirrored door on the wall, revealing three bottles of DIVA Vodka in red blue and purple. Those were new. Since when did Mokuba like vodka? 

“These are mine so back off,” Shizuka giggled and shut the door.

Well that explains that.Kaiba shook his head grinning at her. “Dinnering huh?”

“Expensive dinnering.” 

Anzu ooed at her, kicking her feet as she sipped her wine. Otogi high fived her and Jou slammed his head on the bar. “I’m gonna have ta sell the shop ta pay this.”

“Stop being dramatic,” Kaiba huffed and pushed his shoulder, before walking over to look behind the rest of the bar. He didn’t notice before how the bar was a good combination of Shizuka and Mokuba’s tastes. The cars, the choices in alcohol, and even the lay out. For this place being set up to accommodate for Mokuba drinking there, he never saw him step foot inside. “Did you ever get that dinner?”

Shizuka nodded. “Last week. My turn now and I’ll be able to go someplace fun after this bill.”

Jou groaned into the bar top.

“We’re not sticking you with the whole tab, Jou.” Otogi laughed.

“Yeah, I’m sure we can pay the tip.” Honda nudged him, getting a swift retaliating punch to the shoulder from Jou. “OW!”

“Serves ya right.”

“You know what? That stings,” Honda snickered. “I think I need Patron to cover that up.”

“Patron shots!” Anzu shouted raising her free hand in the air.

“Coming up!”

Anzu turned to Kaiba and smiled. “Have you ever tried Patron and sugar?”

“What?”

“It’s delicious! You have to try it!”

“Wine and Patron?” Yuugi giggled. “We’re going to be dead tomorrow.”

“That’s the plan.”

Kaiba walked back over to Jou. “What do you want to drink?”

“I don’t need your charity. ‘N even if I did, I don’t like any of that.”

“What do you want to drink?”

“Yeah Jou! You have to drink with us,” Yuugi said, getting his glass of wine from Shizuka.

“Don’t worry I got this.” She immediately started grabbing things from the bar to make him a drink.

“You are a cruel woman,” Honda snickered, watching her.

Kaiba watched her too, not really knowing what the big deal was. “What?”

“Shizuka I don’t want it!”

She ignored him and looked up at Kaiba. “So this drink, Katsuya hasn’t had in like… what? 5 years? 6 years?”

“Urgh.”

“It used to be his favorite.”

“I don’t want it, sis.”

“Oh come on we’re celebrating! You love this drink.”

“Yeah and there’s a reason I stopped drinkin’ it.”

“Exactly.” She grinned.

Kaiba watched Jou glare at her, but his cheeks were flushed like he was embarrassed. He had no idea what was going on.

“The story goes-”

“Stop!”

“We were at this party-”

“I love this story!” Anzu giggled. 

“Come on guys.”

“What good are we if we can’t embarrass the shit out of you?” Otogi snickered.

“Dead. That’s what good ya are.”

“And we told the guy where we were from, and he immediately made this drink for us. The Brooklyn. We had a lot of them. They are absolutely delicious.” 

“We had  _ a lot, _ ” Yuugi giggled. “So much Honda was wearing a lampshade for a hat and did a luau with Anzu.”

“I’ll never forget that,” Anzu hummed. “Why didn’t we take pictures?”

“Because someone loves me, that’s why.” Honda laughed.

“So we’re all drunk,” Shizuka said, “and passed out everywhere. The next morning Katsuya’s just gone. We searched the whole house.”

Honda nodded. “Everywhere. Like the kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms and closets. All the closets.”

“Then we started searching outside,” Yuugi said, starting to laugh, “And.. who was it that thought about the garage?”

“Ryou.”

“Where is he anyway?”

Honda made the gesture and they all groaned again. Jou perked up thinking the conversation would end. It didn’t. “So we go into the garage,” Shizuka snickered, “and we found him alright. Completely naked with the guy who had the party in the bed of his truck.”

Honda and Yuugi both started laughing so hard they couldn't talk. Anzu took a sip of her wine, snickering too. Jou then turned around, beet red, to look at him. “Yeah that was fun. Freaked me out that they all started screamin’ ‘n I fell outta the bed of the truck.”

Kaiba laughed. He couldn’t help himself.

“In my defense. You didn’t tell me you were into guys.” Shizuka eyed him. “It’s really your own fault.”

“Would you believe that’s not the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me? Like that’s pretty bad.”

“It’s really bad,” said Otogi.

Atem leaned down and whispered something to Yuugi that made him instantly blush. He shoved him away, giggling and looked back at Shizuka. She pushed the glass in front of Jou and daintily put a cherry in it. “For my favorite brother.”

“Only brother.”

“And my least favorite too.” Then she turned to Yuugi and Atem. “Coming right up.”

Yuugi covered his face making Atem burst into laughter. Apparently she’d heard what he said. Anzu whistled and kicked her heels against the bar. “This is going to be a really fun night.”

Jou took a sip of it then shook his head. “It’s not the worst one though.”

Kaiba quirked his brow. “What’s the worst?”

Jou downed the entire glass and pushed it towards Shizuka to make more. Yuugi leaned over and smiled. “Are you actually going to tell them?”

Jou just gave him a look and Yuugi’s smile widened. After finishing the Margarita for Yuugi, Shizuka set it down and stared up on Jou’s next drink. Anzu gasped, bouncing. “Is this something we don’t know?” 

“No one knows but me,” Yuugi said, “and maybe Shizuka, but I’m not telling.”

“Please tell us!” Anzu pleaded, “Now I have to know!”

Shizuka grinned at him. “I’m not that cruel.”

Jou waited until she finished his drink, drank half of it then turned back. “Now that ya know how I started drinkin’ these, guess I should tell ya why I stopped.” He took another drink and continued, “So Yuug’ and I were drinkin’ at one of the tournament after parties for Kaiba Corp. I had these,” he said, holding up the glass and then gesturing to the Margarita, “And Yuug’ had that. We’re havin’ a great time, ya know. Sittin’ at one of the tables bullshitin’. When Kaiba walks by. Yuug’ makes a comment, cause he’s had too many Margaritas ‘bout-”

“Oh my god you didn’t!” Anzu set her empty wine glass down on the bar and leaned over towards him.

Yuugi blushed. “What? Wait a minute. This story is going to get me in trouble.”

“Too late now!” Honda laughed high fiving Otogi.

“Takin’ ya down with me.” 

Jou grinned at him and clinked his cup against his Margarita glass. Yuugi just shook his head at him. Atem looked overly interested in this, probably as much as Kaiba was. It sounded like this story had to do with him, but he didn’t remember anything about it.

“So he’s making comments ‘bout how good Kaiba looked in the suit he was wearin’. Then I start makin’ comments ‘bout it ‘n the comments got significantly worse… ‘n louder.”

“Then Mokuba shows up out of nowhere giving us a death glare and telling us to stop because he could hear us clear as day from the other side of the room.”

“‘N if he heard us, that meant Kaiba heard us too, but we were too drunk ta care.”

Kaiba crossed his arms over his chest, frowning because he still couldn't remember anything like this. “I’m not seeing why that is a problem. Didn’t you date him?”

Shizuka waved him off. “This was years before they started dating. They HATED each other. Couldn’t stand to be in the same room with each other.”

“Seriously it was bad,” Anzu said, “We had to pull Jou out of the room on several occasions to keep them from trying to kill each other.”

“Yeah. No one was more surprised than we were when Jou said they were dating.” Honda paused a minute, his face scrunching up into a frown. “So wait. That’s not the end of the story?” He blinked when Jou shook his head. “Holy shit what did you guys do?”

“We had to stay at the tournament party until it was over,” Yuugi said smiling, “and we still had two more hours to make complete idiots of ourselves. No it’s not the end.”

“So we’re gettin’ graphic with the comments til Yuug’ has the brilliant idea ta tell me ta go talk ta him.”

“I was joking.”

“I was drunk ‘n thought that was literally the best idea I’d ever heard. So I did what I always did while drinkin’ these, I laid it on thick.” Jou made this sweeping motion and started laughing. “I spent the next two hours, two fuckin’ hours, hittin’ on him.”

Anzu gasped, “No!”

“He did, and he did everything. The spilling the drink thing, stupid pick up lines, taking his clothes off. I think you grabbed his butt at one point.”

“Smoothly.”

“You can’t do anything smooth while your drunk Jou,” Yuugi giggled, “and definitely not that.”

“Yep ‘n Yuug’ over here was just as drunk as I was, ‘n he was helpin’ me out the whole time.”

“Cause I’m wingman material.” 

“He kept firing ideas at me ‘n I kept doing all of them.”

“My favorite was the table dancing.”

Jou burst into laughter. “Yeah! Mine too.”

“We ended up harassing Kaiba so much he had us thrown out.”

As soon as Yuugi said that, he remembered. He remembered the whole thing. Hearing their side of it now, it all made complete sense. He remembered thinking back then, that Jou and Yuugi were just messing with him. He thought they were trying to make him mad. He had no idea Jou was actually being in some way shape or form serious. He thought Yuugi was trying to get him to lighten up and Jou was trying to get him to fight with him because that’s what they always did. He had them thrown out because they were drunk not because of that. He had no idea. He was just as embarrassed as Jou had to be even telling this story because he remembered the week following that. 

“And just ta explain why that’s a big deal, Kaiba always made it damn near impossible for me ta go ta those things, but Yuug’ brought me anyway. ‘N every time he’d see me, he’d make a comment ta Mokuba ta throw me out, but he never did. He never once made me leave anythin’ I went ta. That was the first ‘n only time he did.”

“Maybe that’s cause he liked you,” Anzu said wiggling her eyebrows.

“Nah, he told me when he started likin’ me. This was long before that.”

“And that’s still not the end of the story,” Yuugi giggled. “The week after, the  _ entire  _ week after, Kaiba got him back.”

“Yeah he fuckin’ did! I woke up the next day feelin’ like death ‘n Yuug’ ‘n I are tryin’ ta put the night together. Then I remembered what happened ‘n I’ve never felt more embarrassed in my fuckin’ life! The truck thing sucked a lot but this was ten times worse. We hated each other. I just madly hit on him for two fuckin’ hours. There was no way I could even face him again, right? But life hates me.”

“That following week we promised to go to a gaming convention with Mokuba and Kaiba for panels and stuff. We had a hotel room down the same hall as them. Every time Kaiba was in the same room with Jou he’d make a snide comment about something from that night and he dumped out every drink Jou ordered, even if it was water.”

“It was the worst week. Every time he’d say something I’d remember that party ‘n lock up. Which made it worse ‘cause then he’d do his stupid ‘I won’ thing.” Jou’s grin turned into a mournful smile as he shook his head. “I can’t believe I actually miss the stupid ‘I won’ smug ass grin bullshit.”

Yuugi put his arm over Jou’s shoulder. “I do too.”

Suddenly everyone stood to hug Jou, except Kaiba and Atem, who were giving each other the same ‘well this sucks’ look. Shizuka took a deep breath and quickly poured those shots she forgot about. She set them all in a row on the bar and grabbed one. “Okay sad moment’s over. Time to do a shot.”

“Shots shots shots!” Otogi shouted and grabbed two, reaching over Honda. 

He handed one to Anzu, who winked at him and took it. Kaiba reached around Jou to grab one and tried not to read into the fact that he leaned closer to him instead of out of the way. Shizuka took a deep breath and smiled. “Alright. What are we toasting for?”

“New beginnings,” Atem said, getting a loving smile from Yuugi.

“Ooo I like that! To new beginnings!” 

“To new beginnings!” They all raised the shots, tapped them on the bar and took them. 

Kaiba smacked his lips from the taste of sugar and Patron. “That isn’t awful.”

“Right?!” Anzu giggled. “It’s one of my favorite shots. Got it by accident once.”

“I thought it was salt. That’s not my fault,” Shizuka huffed, clearing the empty shot glasses away.

“So,” Yuugi smiled, “Who wants to play a game?”

“What kind of game?”

“Drinking game of course. We’re in a bar.” He pulled out a deck of cards from his pocket and Anzu jumped down from the bar.

“Let’s do this!”

They walked away from the bar to sit at a table off in the corner. The bar started picking up about then. Maybe some people were at other bars before here. Yuugi set up the game and they all played, drinking and joking around. True to their story, the more Jou drank, the more obvious his flirting was and Kaiba was eating it up. Partly because he missed it, partly because it kept reminding him of that night at the tournament party. By the end of the night everyone had dropped out, leaving just Jou and him. 

Jou was drunk. He couldn’t stand up straight or walk. Talking was a joke, but his constant laughter kept getting him laughing too, which wasn’t helping anything because he wasn’t any better. Shizuka got them a cab which ended up at Jou’s place. They got out and fumbled their way to Jou and Yuugi’s apartment. As soon as they stepped inside Jou started shouting for Yuugi, but no answer. “Your place?”

Kaiba shook his head. “He’s at the... The game shop.”

Jou slurred something and held onto the wall, walking away. Kaiba went with him until he got the feeling he shouldn’t. He was really drunk. Jou was really drunk. 

“What’re ya doin’?”

“Where do I sleep?”

Jou gave him a suggestive grin.

“You’re drunk,” Kaiba snorted and started walking over to the sofa.

He laid down on it and kicked off his shoes before putting his arm over his eyes. He heard Jou running into things in the kitchen then walked into the living room. He ran into the coffee table and started laughing. Kaiba lifted his arm off of his eyes to look up at him. He set down a glass of water and some medicine and then walked away. Well walked was a strong word. Kaiba took the medicine and drank all the water before almost dropping the cup on the table. He laid back down and sighed, covering his eyes. 

Everything was spinning even though he couldn’t see it. He thought about opening his eyes and trying to focus to stop the spinning. Even shifted his arm a little, when he felt someone climbing on top of him. He moved his arm to see Jou straddling him, in his undershirt and boxers. “What are you doing?”

“Making sure ya don’t keel over,” Jou laughed and laid down on his chest.

Kaiba wrapped his arms around him. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good.”

Jou didn’t say anything for awhile, and he tried to think of something else to say. Jou smelled like cherries and alcohol. He wondered if he tasted like it too. He closed his eyes thinking about telling Jou who he was, but he fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning he woke up feeling stiff, heavy, nauseous and had a headache to rival any other headache he’d ever had in his entire life. The only good thing he felt, was Jou still passed out and snoring on top of him. He snickered quietly and ran his fingers through Jou’s hair. He stopped snoring but didn't wake up. How was he supposed to move?

Kaiba’s phone buzzed on the ground beside him, making him look over at it. He picked it up and saw a group of messages from everyone complaining that they were mostly dead. Except Ryou, who happily started the text chain and told everyone about how great he felt. Honda asked about Jou, so he thought it was best to let them know he was alive. 

‘He’s still sleeping.’

Anzu texted back. ‘Scandalous!’

‘Nothing happened.’

Then Yuugi texted. ‘Well something definitely happened over here.’ 

Kaiba audibly groaned, making Jou stir. He winced but he was out cold. Then he got another message from Honda. ‘Here too!’

Otogi joined in at that point. ‘Ditto!’

Then Anzu texted. ‘And here.’

His phone buzzed at least three times with a similar ‘with who’ message. Then Otogi texted ‘With me.’

Honda texted back. ‘Sure right.’

‘Seriously.’

Kaiba snickered at Anzu’s text. ‘I don’t even need to defend myself. No one believes you.’

‘I can prove it.’

‘How?”

‘I’ll send a pic.’

He got a mix of messages from Yuugi, Atem, Ryou and Honda, half saying to do it, the other half saying they didn’t need to see that. Then a picture message went through of Otogi and Anzu in bed together. His phone went crazy with messages and he held it out not looking at it anymore. 

When he finally did glance at it he saw a message to him from Anzu. ‘So what happened? We set you up with the perfect drinks! You’re the odd man out.’

‘Yeah, too many drinks.’

‘I’d like to think it was the perfect amount.’

Then Yuugi texted him. ‘I don’t believe you.’

‘We didn’t do anything.’

‘A huh. Send me a pic of Jou then.’

‘What’s that going to prove?’

‘That he has clothes on.’

Kaiba had to stop himself from snorting. If it got them to leave him alone, it might be worth it. He took a pic of Jou sleeping on him, trying to keep himself out of it as much as possible, and sent it. That was the wrong decision. 

‘Is he sleeping on you?!’

Dammit. 

Anzu texted back, making him roll his eyes. ‘He is! AWWWW!!! Take a good pic with both of you in it.’

‘Why?’

‘Just do it or we’ll keep bothering you.’

He glared at the phone as he angled it to take a picture of both of them. Looking up into the camera, his heart panged and his expression twisted into hatred right before his eyes. Jou slept soundly, peacefully, with his head resting on the heart of someone else, and that bothered him. It took a lot longer than he’d like to admit to see that he was looking at himself. He hated that he still wasn’t used to this. Taking a picture, like this one, shouldn’t make him feel like an imposter. It shouldn’t make him feel like he was living someone else’s life. It was his now. He’d accepted it, he owned it, and he sure as hell wasn’t giving it back. It was May. MAY! He managed to do this for almost a year. So why was it still like this? 

He moved the phone to angle it a little differently and the feeling disappeared. Since he had absolutely no idea know why, he took the picture. Examining it closer, he noticed something. The expression on his face was his own. Is that what everyone else saw when they looked at him? He was someone else, then he’d smirk, scowl or in this case look content and it was him again? He started to send the picture when Jou shifted on him. “I wanna see.”

He lowered the phone for him and Jou grinned. “Ya should send that ta me.”

“I am.”

“Whatcha mean?”

“It’s for the group text.”

“What’re they all gossipin’ ‘bout?”

Jou lifted himself up and shifted on Kaiba so he was almost level with his eyes. He laid his head against him and they both sifted through the messages. Jou practically squealed when he saw the picture from Otogi. Then he sent the one Kaiba took and his phone went crazy again. Kaiba rolled his eyes and looked away from it, but Jou was determined to read all of it. 

He sent a few things on it, then set the phone down on the ground to let it buzz. He faced him, smiling. “You’re still here.”

“I told you I would be.”

“That’s just cause ya can’t move me.”

“Not when you’re dead weight, no.”

Jou snickered. “Thank ya.”

“For what?”

“For helpin’ Yuug’. I didn’t think anyone could, but ya did.”

“Obviously from that bet you made.”

Jou laughed then his smile dropped and he jerked up, propping himself up on his arms. “The bet! Shit! How much was that fuckin’ thing? I don’t even ‘member payin’ it.”

Kaiba took Jou’s face in his hands and made him look at him. “It’s taken care of. Stop worrying.”

“Did ya pay for it?”

Kaiba laughed at the glare Jou was giving him. “No. I guess in a way Mokuba did.”

His glare softened. “Yeah that kid owes me some drinks.”

“Not anymore,” he snickered, watching Jou smile at him. 

He caressed Jou’s cheek, brushing some of his unruly hair back and looking at his lips, jawline and nose before resting on his warm honey eyes. He half expected him to move, or say something else, but Jou was intent on staring into his eyes. Normally, that would make him uncomfortable. It used to all the time. They talked about it before, fought about it before; how Jou could see Kaiba’s emotions in his eyes. It came in handy every now and then, when he needed to bluff his way out of things, or when he was angry with Jou and saying things he didn’t mean. He would never admit it aloud, even when Jou used to get hurt over it, but he didn’t want him to know how much he cared about him and this was how Jou looked for that. So ever since he told him that, Kaiba stopped doing what he was doing right now.

And he wished he hadn’t. Looking at Jou now, he saw everything he was feeling reflected right back at him. The ‘I missed this’ and ‘I’m so glad you’re here’ and ‘please don’t leave’ all swirling around in honey, staring right at him. He hadn’t seen how much Jou loved him in a long time. A few shitty years and a jet crash only scratched the surface of what was to blame for that. Underneath? He never wanted to see it.

Jou moved forward and pressed his lips against his in a steady fluid motion. He buried his hands in Jou’s hair and breathed him in; drank him in. He remembered the first time he’d ever kissed Jou. It had to be maybe a day or two after they’d had their first date. Jou took him to some stupid movie with the rest of their friends. Not as a ‘date’ but as ‘his date’ to their monthly movie outing. They had to go see the worst piece of film ever created. It was boring, long, cliched and mind numbing. He expected Jou to be just as enthralled with it as everyone else, but he wasn’t. He asked him if he wanted to skip out on the movie and ditch everyone. Kaiba moved so fast he could hardly hear Jou chuckling after him. 

He took him up to the projectionist booth, saying he knew the guy who worked there and no one would be there for a while. He talked to him for almost an hour about the old projectors until someone came up. Kaiba thought they’d get yelled at, but the girl just smiled. She made a comment about the movie being bad and everyone else loving it, then fiddled with some of the film that ran through. She walked out and Jou got up. He grabbed one of the cut strips of film and walked back over to him, tripped over his own feet and somehow landed in Kaiba’s lap. He remembered being furious and how bad that actually hurt. Jou got him in the ribs with his elbow and bruised his leg trying to steady himself. He bit out something like ‘is it always going to be like this with him’ and Jou just grinned at him saying ‘probably’. 

Then he kissed him. He remembered it being a lot like now, completely forgetting about being hurt and angry, and feeling just so happy and surprised it happened at all. Jou shifted on top of him and pulled away, grinning ear to ear. “Ya wanna get some coffee?”

“Yes.”

\-----

Kaiba couldn’t believe he actually made him wait a whole month just to go to dinner. A whole fucking month! What did he think was going to happen? He waited at the bar for Jou to close the shop, drinking water. He’d had enough alcohol the month before to last him a life time and he still felt a little queasy looking at the bottles and smelling it in the air. He hardly noticed someone come by and sit down next to him when he heard a familiar sigh. Honda put his elbows on the bar and looked up at Shizuka. “I need a stiff drink.”

“How are you still drinking?” she giggled.

“It’s been that long of a day.”

“Ryou still-” Kaiba made the gesture and Honda laughed.

“Yeah. Always.” Then he bit his bottom lip and turned to face him. “I kinda feel like you’re getting a bad impression of him. He’s really a great guy.”

Shizuka handed him a whiskey and nodded. “He’s a sweetheart!”

“He’s just-” Honda humphed and picked up the glass meeting Shizuka’s eyes. “He’s got a lot going on.”

Kaiba scoffed, “Don’t we all.”

Honda shook his head. “Between you and me... And her obviously, Ryou’s got a lot, lot going on. His dad has lung cancer. Ryou’s constantly flying to London to see him and that costs a lot, so he’s picked up a second job and put his degree on hold. I keep telling him we can move there even if it’s just till… But he keeps telling me he doesn’t want to make me do anything. I don’t know. I think he’s depressed or something, but I can’t get it through his skull I’m here for him.”

“Sweetheart and trust issues,” she said. 

“Yeah he does. Fuck. I wouldn’t even know about it if I didn’t fight with him for a week and threaten to move out if he didn’t start talking to me.” Honda took a sip of whiskey then looked at him. “But he seems to trust you a lot. It’s weird. You met one time. He even told me it was okay to tell you about all that.”

“I think I need to start buying clothes that say ‘leave me alone’,” Kaiba muttered making Shizuka and Honda laugh.

“Maybe that’s why he trusts you. You don’t want to know.”

“I really don’t.”

“I bet you know everything,” Shizuka said, leaning over the bar.

“I didn’t know about this,” Kaiba said, gesturing to the bar, “This was a surprise.”

“The bar? Oh! Dinnering.” Shizuka giggled. “Yeah, we keep a low profile.”

“Meaning she really, really likes him.”

Shizuka reached out to snatch Honda’s glass but he moved away just in time. Kaiba grinned at her. “It would seem that way if he got a bar with you.”

“Actually, that happened before.” She blushed. “I was helping out after the accident, when Jou moved out, aka Mokuba kicked him out aka Yuugi drug him out. I kept going over to see if he was okay. This was our compromise so I would stop bothering him.”

“And he’s as bad as his fucking brother, so he kept coming here to make sure she wasn’t tanking the place.”

“Then he took me to dinner. Now we’re dinnering.” Shizuka looked around the bar with a sweet, loving smile. “And he made it look a lot better. I’ll give him that.”

“I never see him here. Is he satisfied your not going to burn the place down?”

“Not even kinda,” she giggled. “He comes here to pick me up after I close.”

“We never stay that long. I have one time. They’re adorable.”

“I’ll kick you out.”

“Come at me.” Honda laughed, then turned to Kaiba. “So what are you doing here?”

The door to the bar opened and Jou stepped inside. He looked back at Honda, grinning. “We’re breakfasting.”

Shizuka and Honda burst into laughter as Jou approached the bar. “What’d I miss?”

“I love him!” she said through her laughter. “You’re keeping him right?”

“You spit in his drink!”

“I take it all back.”

Jou grumbled at her and they both made a stupid face at each other. Kaiba rolled his eyes and stood up, dragging Jou out of the bar STILL making that face at Shizuka. When they got outside, he immediately felt the heat of summer. This was much more like he was used to, instead of the wall of stifling heat and humidity he had to deal with back at Sylia and Liam’s house. Jou returned his attention to him and shoved his hands in his pockets. “So, where we goin?”

And now for the part of the day he was dreading. He had a list in his head of over ten places he wanted to go to again. All his favorites, or favorites with the both of them, and that was a bad plan. The last thing he needed was a blaring reminder of someone else even if it was him. “I tried to find someplace I thought you’d like, but that didn’t work out. Where do you want to go?”

“Huh? You’re lettin’ me pick?” Jou looked surprisingly happy about that and then grinned. “I got an idea. Think you’ll like it.”

Jou drove them over to what looked like the smallest restaurant he’d ever seen. They parked on the side of the street and got out. The whole time, Kaiba stared at it wondering why he brought him there. It was a tiny hole in the wall diner with dirty tables, dirty walls and dirty wait staff. Jou kept his pleased grin and gestured for him to follow him, so he did. They walked through and were completely ignored by the wait staff. One looked up at Jou then walked right by him. He kept moving to the back and pushed open an employees only sign covered door. Behind the mom and pop diner was a gorgeous restaurant decorated in modern and contemporary art, but it had a similar homey feel that the one they had just walked through did. 

“Sugar. I told you a hundred times.  _ Reservations. _ ” 

Kaiba turned to see Mai standing off to the side with her hand on her hip wearing a tight red satin dress. He fought the urge to glare at her. If there was one person on the entire planet that would make him jealous, she was it. He knew Jou liked her at one point and didn’t want to be around her because of that, but he couldn’t say a damn thing. So he just stood there, trying to keep a straight face.

“But ya always get me in.”

“You’re lucky I own the place.” Then she looked at Kaiba and smirked. “And you brought a date!”

“This is Corbin Anderson. He’s from America.”

“The infamous Corbin Anderson. Yeah I heard about you. Made plans for the jet engine, got into a bar fight with 9 of Kaiba Corp’s guys, and you’re the first person to quit a job directly given by Mokuba himself. What I don’t get is why you’re slumming around with this guy.”

“Hey! I can clean up.”

“You can, hun, but you never do,” she sighed and grabbed his hand so he could see the black oil still around his nails.

“His enthusiasm and clumsily brash charm make up for it,” Kaiba felt himself saying before he could stop it.

Jou beamed and gestured to him as if to say ‘exactly’. Mai started to laugh and walk away. “Come on. You should love this food, Corbin. American’s seem to go crazy for it.”

“It’s really good. Just like your mom’s,” Jou said, following after her. 

She took them over to a table overlooking the ocean. The view was beautiful like always. The evening sun glistened off its surface like a pile of sequins floated at the top, but Kaiba had to turn away. “Is there another place we could sit?”

She gave him a weird look, then Jou who shrugged. “Yeah… Yeah sure. Come here.”

She lead them over to a secluded corner. He could still see the ocean from it, but he wasn’t close enough to make him uncomfortable. Up until now, he didn’t realize it would make him uncomfortable. He was on the ground! Why wasn’t it okay to look at it from the ground? He loved the ocean, but every time he looked at it, he felt like it was getting closer, as ridiculous as that was. They sat down and Jou leaned over to him. “Are ya okay? Ya look spooked.”

Kaiba huffed at him, “I’m fine.”

“Alright.” But Jou wasn’t buying it.

Kaiba didn’t have a way to explain, so he tried to change the subject. “So, why did you pick this place? And I hope it’s not for the view.”

Jou laughed. “Nah, I thought ya’d like the food. Also,” he said smiling fondly at him, “Seems ya like diamond in the rough places like I do. Helps I know the owner.”

“I think you know everyone.”

“It sure feels like that huh?” Jou shrugged. “I didn’t used ta, but after the accident I kept findin’ myself everywhere. Ended up fightin’ everywhere too, so Mokuba had ta come get me. They remember Mokuba ‘n they remember me.”

Kaiba nodded, looking over the menu. Some things from back in the town Sylia and Liam lived in popped out at him that he liked. So he’d order that when someone came over. Jou reached out and gently took Kaiba’s hand in his, making him look up. But Jou wasn’t trying to hold his hand, he was looking at his cuff. “That’s nice. Where’d ya get it?”

Kaiba looked at it and sighed, “My mom.”

“I think it’s weird you keep changin’ what ya call her.” 

Kaiba blushed. “I uh- Well… I don’t really remember her.”

“What?”

“I figured Shizuka would have talked to you about this,” Kaiba murmured but Jou didn’t say anything. “I was in a coma. I don’t remember anything from before I woke up.”

“Oh shit! Seriously?”

Kaiba nodded and smirked at Jou’s bewilderment. 

“I can’t... Damn that sucks. So how’d ya know how ta work on cars ‘n engine plans? Or speak Japenese? Ya just know?”

“Apparently.”

“That’s weird.”

“It is.”

“Did ya know any ‘o that before?”

Kaiba looked down at the cuff and frowned. “I might have. I don’t know.”

“I saw this thing on TV about people suddenly talkin’ in a different language. Didn’t think I’d meet one though.”

A waiter came over and smiled at them. He assumed Jou would let his arm go but he didn’t. Jou rattled off an order like he came there all the time and Kaiba said his. When he walked away, Jou tilted his head at him. “So, ya wake up, dunno who ya are or where ya are ‘n ya got this family ya don’t know ‘n a friend ya don’t know. That’s gotta be… scary.”

“It was annoying.”

Jou chortled. “At least ya gotta good family ‘n good friend.”

“That’s true.”

“Did ya get any of your memories back or are ya just wingin’ it?”

“A lot of winging it.” Kaiba grinned wrapping his fingers around Jou’s hand. “I’m not doing too bad.”

Jou smirked at him. “Depends on who ya talk ta.”

“I’m talking to you.”

“Then you’re doin’ great.”

They talked about the shop and work they had to do for a while before their food arrived. It was good, he had to admit. A lot like Sylia’s cooking and a lot like the food at the restaurants they went to back in the town. He told Jou more about Pitoka, about the auto parts shop he used to go to all the time and the owner Jake. He talked to him about bringing Red to the house and about him punching Danny. And he talked about the house they had and all the things he fixed there. Jou hung on every word. 

When they left, they went back to Jou’s apartment. Yuugi wasn’t there. Jou made a comment about him needing to move, but wouldn’t because of him. He felt like Atem was probably doing that too. Or maybe he still wasn’t satisfied that Liam and Sylia were doing alright. Kaiba wasn’t so sure he was satisfied with that either or he would’ve moved. 

They sat on the sofa talking for a little longer before he couldn’t stand how close Jou was and kissed him. The more he kissed him the more of him he wanted, but he was still surprised when Jou grabbed him by his shirt and hauled him to his feet, dragging him back towards his bed room. Kaiba wanted to bleed out every second and savor every inch of him, but Jou was too impatient for any of that. He missed that about him so much. 

He fell asleep tangled up in Jou and his bed sheets, thinking he finally got what he wanted. After all of this, he was home. The worst was over.

\-----

He woke up in Jou’s dark room to shuffling and choked curses. He looked at the clock and saw it was 2:13. Pushing himself up, he frowned at Jou rummaging around for his clothes in the dark. Then he heard him crying. What happened? 

“Jou?”

He froze in place. 

“What are you doing?”

“I just.. I gotta… I was gonna take a walk. Fuck. I dunno.” He wiped at his face and sniffled. 

Kaiba sat up in bed studying him, not that he could see much. How did he even find his pants? “Come here.”

“Look, I don’t think that-”

“Just do it. It’s 2 in the morning.”

“I know what fuckin’ time it is,” he spat and threw his shirt down before walking over to the bed. 

He plopped down and took a deep breath. Kaiba leaned against the headboard, just watching him, waiting for him to relax. “This is your apartment, Jou. If you want me to leave-”

“I don’t want ya ta leave.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Everythin’s fuckin’ wrong. No matter what I do, this happens. I can’t do this. When I’m with ya everythin’s fine. I feel great. When ya aren’t here, I feel like shit again. I thought if ya stayed here, I’d feel better, but I don’t. I just,” He leaned his head back, exhaling through his mouth. “I feel like I’m hurtin’ him. I just want him ta let me go. I wanna let him go.” He then leaned forward putting his elbows on his knees and burying his hands in his hair. He sniffled again and took a shaky breath. “I don’t want ya ta leave. This ain’t your fault. It’s mine. I gotta deal with this.”

Kaiba took a deep breath too, and let out a frustrated sigh through his nose. He had no idea what to say or what to do. He hated seeing Jou like this but he couldn’t make it any better. He thought about reaching out and touching him, but felt that would just make things worse. So he laid back down on the bed and shifted a little closer to him. “You’re not hurting him.”

“I feel like I am.”

“I know, and that’s something you’ll feel for a while, but you aren’t.”

“I did everythin’ he wanted me ta do. I opened that shop, I keepin’ my eye on Moki so he’s alright. I’m tryin’ ta keep everythin’ together.”

“You’re doing a great job of all of that.”

“It sure don’t feel like it.”

He watched him sit there in the dark for a while, debating on what to do. Then Jou sat up and turned around, climbing back into bed and snuggling into him. Kaiba smiled and wrapped his arms around him. “What woke you up?”

“Bad dream.”

“Want to talk about it?”

Jou sighed. “I used ta give him shit all the time for not puttin’ me first, but when I found out he got me the shop, I realized he was tryin’. I had a dream he was pissed that I’m doin’ with ya what I’d always talked ‘bout doin’ with him. He said a lot of stuff. I’m not gettin’ into it.”

Kaiba hugged him tighter. What was he supposed to say? ‘Oh he wouldn’t do that.’ Yeah, like hell he wouldn't. The night he found out Jou worked at the shop he spent a good two or three hours laying in bed thinking of a good rant he’d like to say to him about it. He could only imagine how terrible for Jou that dream had to be. He understood. He really did. The nightmare that had him taking apart the garage door opener had him on edge for a week, at least. 

“The last time I had a dream like that, I tore through the house and took apart a garage door opener to fix it but was missing the chain. I had it in pieces everywhere and didn’t even realize it was a lost cause.”

Jou snickered, “I can see ya doin’ that.”

“Yeah. Red came out to the garage and saw me working on it and made me come inside after pointing out it wasn’t going to work. It’s the only thing in the house I never fixed.” Kaiba nuzzled into Jou’s hair. “I still hate garage door openers.”

Jou laughed and it made Kaiba feel like he was helping, even if it was just a little bit. “What were ya dreamin’ ‘bout? I thought ya didn’t ‘member anythin’.”

“I don’t. It was about people I don't know,” he lied, “but the feeling when I woke up was still there.”

Jou hummed in understanding. 

Kaiba carded his fingers through Jou’s hair; twirling a lock of it and trying to talk himself out of what he was about to say. ”I’ll wait for you. I’m not going anywhere.”

“I don’t wanna ask ya ta do that.”

“You’re not asking, I’m telling you I will. You’re worth waiting for.”

“That’s sappy.”

Kaiba wanted to laugh but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to lose him. It felt like he just got him back and he was losing him again. Thinking about that night that he had that nightmare, and the several others that followed it made him restless. “Come on.”

He started getting up, letting go of Jou so he could sit up, and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Jou sat up too, looking at him. “Where we goin’?”

“To find something to take apart.”

Jou chortled. “I gotta old Super Nintendo system that ain't workin’.”

“Perfect.”

He put on his pants and walked out the door, Jou right behind him. They walked into the living room and Jou disappeared somewhere while he got the system from under the entertainment center. It was old and covered in something. Probably had soda spilled on it. He sat down, leaning against the wall when Jou came back in the room with a beat up cloth tool box. “I think ya need this stuff. Yuug’ got it ta fix the Xbox.”

He sat it down and started to sit across from him when Kaiba frowned. “What are you doing? You’re fixing this. It’s your bad dream.”

Jou laughed. “I dunno how ta fix that.”

“I’m going to show you. Come here.”

He sat down where Kaiba wanted; right in front of him between his legs with his back pressed against his chest. It was easier to show him what to do this way, and he wanted to be close to him. They worked on it for a few hours, taking it apart, cleaning the soda out of it and resoldering a few parts. The apartment was quiet and comfortable, making him miss times at home with Jou like this. Just the two of them. Jou didn’t have the patience for small things like this and Kaiba had to take over for him when he became too frustrated. But they were having fun. Maybe they should’ve done this for a date instead. 

When they got it working again, Jou wanted to test it out. So Kaiba played Zelda for a little bit while he searched through his games for something both of them could play. He found Street Fighter and happily put the game in. “I haven’t played this in years! Yuug’ won’t play with me anymore.”

“Why not?”

“Says I cheat.”

“You probably do.”

“How can I cheat?”

“Button smashing is cheating.”

“It is not!”

Jou pushed the coffee table out of the way so they could sit on the floor against the sofa while they played. Jou won the first few matches easily. Yuugi was right, he had to be cheating. There was just no way he was that good. By the time the sunlight poured through the windows, Kaiba was getting better and they were even. The final match, Jou lost and Kaiba tried to not laugh at him throwing the controller on the ground. “Now you’re cheatin’.”

“I am not.”

“Button mashin’ is cheatin’.”

“Says the sore loser.”

“Ah huh, ah huh.”

They started up another game when the front door opened. Yuugi and Atem walked in with bags in their hands. Jou took advantage of him glancing up and quickly won the round. “Ha! Now that’s cheatin’.” He lifted his controller, turning to face Yuugi and Atem. “Got it workin’!”

“Oh no, not that game,” Yuugi groaned. “Are you guys hungry?”

“I’m starvin’!”

“Good cause we're making breakfast.”

Jou sat the controller down in his lap to talk to Yuugi so Kaiba started the next round without him. He laughed as Jou quickly scooped up the controller but it was too late. Jou gave him a disgruntled frown and that just made him laugh more. He took Kaiba’s controller and made sure the game was paused that time. Kaiba shrugged his shoulders. “What? I thought cheating was okay.”

“Ah huh,” He looked over at Yuugi, sitting up as tall as he could on the floor to see what was in the bags, “Whatcha makin’?”

“Pancakes.”

“And coffee,” Atem said, already halfway through getting it started.

Coffee sounded perfect. They were up all night almost, he was starting to get tired. Jou got up and walked over to the kitchen counter that separated the living room from the kitchen and leaned on it. “Need any help?”

“Red’s got this,” Yuugi said, clinking pans together to get what he wanted out of their cabinets, “but thank you Jou!”

“Alright, suit yourself.” Jou started to walk back over to him when he grinned. “We should probably get dressed.”

Yuugi giggled from the kitchen. Kaiba looked down at himself, completely forgetting he didn’t have a shirt on. Jou walked around like that all the time, but he didn’t. He got up from the floor, admittedly a little embarrassed, and followed Jou back to the bedroom. Even with the sun up, his room was completely black. Jou flipped on a light and walked around the bed where he’d thrown his shirt, but Kaiba couldn’t find his. “What did you do with it?”

“I honestly don’t ‘member. It’s in here somewhere,” Jou snickered, shifting the bed sheets and comforter to see if it was in there. “Not here.”

Kaiba walked around to the other side and found it in between the nightstand and the wall. He shook his head, smiling at the memory of Jou throwing it somewhere. He didn’t realize he’d thrown it that hard. Sliding it over his head, he felt hands on his chest then waist. After pulling it all the way down, Jou kissed him, then let him go with a sheepish smile. “Thank ya.”

“For what?”

“Stayin’ up with me.”

Kaiba wrapped his fingers around the back of Jou’s neck and kissed him back, pouring his heart into it. When he moved back he smiled at Jou, staring into his warm eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Jou blinked at him and suddenly became very serious. “I know.”

Kaiba kissed him again, stopping only because he could smell coffee wafting into the room. He really needed the coffee. Jou laughed at him as he moved away to walk back into the kitchen. Atem had a cup on the counter for him already. He picked it and shook his head at Yuugi and Atem standing side by side at the stove. Jou walked around him and nudged him with his elbow. “Ready ta lose?”

“Not a chance.”


	13. Chapter 13

A week later, Kaiba walked into Kaiba Corp. to meet with Mokuba. The engine was finished. It was time to look it over, like he promised. Mokuba met him in the lobby, tablet in hand, with a huge smile. “There you are!”

“I'm early.”

“Not that early. Been busy?”

“Yes.”

Mokuba snickered with a knowing smile and walked with him, side by side just like they always did, to the elevator. When the doors shut, Mokuba turned to him. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around much.”

“You don’t need to say that. I know.”

“Yeah, but still. I don’t want you to think I’m avoiding you or anything.”

Kaiba laughed. “I’m hearing plenty without you.”

“What do you mean?”

The doors opened up and he walked out, looking back at Mokuba. “Dinnering?”

Mokuba blushed scarlet. “Oh that.”

“Yes that.”

He expected to look over Liam’s part of the project, but instead, he found himself staring at an identical version of his jet. Complete. He paused, not knowing how he felt about it as Mokuba passed him. “Are you okay?”

“Just… Yeah I’m fine, Moki. I thought we were looking at the engine?”

“We are, but I want to make sure everything else is fine too.” Then Mokuba turned, fully facing him. “Is that not okay?”

Kaiba didn’t know what to say. Staring at the jet made him feel exactly like staring at the ocean; like it was coming closer and he couldn’t stop it. Mokuba walked up to him and grabbed his wrist, drawing his attention to him. “It’s okay. We’re doing this together right?”

Kaiba shook his head, trying to get a hold of himself. This was ridiculous. It was just a jet. There was no reason to be afraid of it, but that’s how he felt. Afraid. Mokuba kept his grip on his wrist and lead him over to the engine that Liam worked on. “So, I take it you’ve been talking to Shizuka?” he asked, walking over to a ladder off to the side and bringing it over to stand under the engine.

He was happy for the change in topic and smirked. “I’ve been at your bar enough, yes.”

“Yeah, it makes good money. I’ll give her that.”

“So what’s going on between you two exactly?”

Mokuba sheepishly lifted his shoulders and climbed up a ladder to open an access panel. “I don’t know. She’s fun to talk to.”

“Ah huh.”

“She is.”

“That’s all you’re going to say? She’s fun to talk to.”

“What else am I supposed to say?”

“How about telling me why you have a bar with her?”

“She kept bothering me.”

He laughed.

“I’m serious. She came over to help Jou all the time and kept asking me if I was hungry or if I needed anything and she would not take no for an answer.” Mokuba pulled the panel door away and handed it to Kaiba. “So when Jou moved, I thought she’d leave me alone, but she kept coming back over to bother me.”

“Bother you, huh?”

“She was!” Mokuba laughed and shook his head, trying to be serious despite the grin he had. “Seriously, I started locking the door, and I'm not kidding, she picked the lock.”

Kaiba climbed up the bottom of the ladder to look inside the panel with Mokuba. “Jou would have done the same thing.”

Mokuba snorted and moved slightly so Kaiba could see better. “I changed the locks on the door so she couldn’t do that, and I didn’t hear from her for almost a week. Then I go into the kitchen and there on the counter is a container of food with a note saying ‘eat’. That’s it.”

“How did she get in?”

“I don’t know! She still won’t tell me.” Mokuba reached into the panel and pulled on some wires, shifting them around so Kaiba could see. “I threw away like 5 or 6 of them before I actually gave in and ate one.” Mokuba’s shoulders slumped and he turned back to look at him. “I’m actually glad she did that because I barely ate anything the whole time Jou was gone. I didn’t even realize I didn't eat until I was about to throw that one away. How crazy is that? How do you not know you aren’t eating?”

“I’m sorry.”

Mokuba turned to him and smiled at him like he was being foolish. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about, Seto. You couldn’t do anything more than we could.”

“I know, but I still feel like it was my fault.”

“It wasn’t and I’ll prove it to you. That’s why we’re doing this.”

Kaiba smiled at him and looked at the panel again. “Liam’s project is identical to the plans. There’s no tampering here.”

“I’m not seeing anything either. Next engine!”

Kaiba got off the ladder and watched Mokuba slide down. “I can’t believe you’re still doing that.”

“It’s still fun. Not as fun now that I’m taller, though.” He chewed his bottom lip, then smiled. “Maybe I need a bigger ladder.”

Kaiba shook his head at him and followed him to the other side of the jet to look at it. “So she made you dinners? And what? I’m not seeing how that lead to a jointly owned bar.”

Mokuba’s nose scrunched up. “Well I kinda… well I was upset about… well you know. She was bothering me and broke into the house! Well, I ran into her at some company thing Yuugi made Jou go to and I confronted her about the whole ‘sneaking into the house’ thing… in a not very good way.” Mokuba propped the ladder up under the engine on the other side and sighed, “I don’t know why she doesn’t hate me, if nothing else, for that.”

Kaiba watched him climb the ladder, then open the control panel. He took it from him when he handed it to him, and looked up at the engine. This one was made differently. Apparently they felt that Liam’s plans needed tweaking. Unnecessary tweaking. Mokuba noticed too and frowned at it. “What’s so hard about following directions?”

Kaiba snickered at him and climbed the ladder too. 

“Anyway, I felt bad after that and tried calling her. She didn’t talk to me for a month after that.”

“Because of Jou.”

Mokuba glared down at him. “Yeah. Your stupid boyfriend thought it was a great idea to keep me from talking to her.”

“Well if you did what I think you did in front of him, I can understand why.”

“Yeah well… You’re not wrong.” He shifted wires around and shook his head. “It’s not hard. Follow the damn directions,” he muttered under his breath, then smiled at Kaiba. “Anyway, so when I did finally get to talk to her, the first thing out of her mouth was that she’d forgive me if I helped her get that bar started.”

“And you actually did it?”

“I felt bad.”

“That’s not a good reason.”

“Well, it was right across from the shop, so I could make sure Jou wasn’t killing himself there, and if I wanted to, and I wasn’t sure what I wanted at the time, I could still talk to Shizuka. That’s why I made it half and half instead of just giving it to her. I also needed something to do.” Mokuba spun around and groaned, “Everything was boring. I was tired of just going through the motions.”

“I understand that.”

Mokuba grabbed his tablet, took some pictures of the absolute mess that was behind the panel then hit a bunch of buttons. “So I kept checking on her to make sure it wasn’t going to hell too. It’s a bar. That happens at bars.”

“It does.”

“She’s doing so well there though.” Mokuba glanced back at him, beaming with pride. “She’s actually making me a lot of money. I’m still shocked! And when I realized it was something she was passionate about not just trying to get me back, I asked her if she wanted to get dinner, since I owed her at least 5 that I threw away. Now that’s just what we do. Even if it is at like 3 in the morning or around lunch before she goes to work.”

Kaiba gave him the same look that Mokuba used to give him about Jou. The same shit eating grin that used to drive him up the fucking wall. Now he could  _ finally _ get him back for the three years Mokuba teased him about anything and everything that had to do with him dating. Mokuba turned to look at him and glared at him. “Stop it.”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“I know what you’re doing.”

“Good.” Kaiba looked up at the panel then back to Mokuba, still grinning at him. “I can’t tell if it’s tampered with or not in a mess like that.”

“Me neither. Looks like they’re redoing it.”

“Or Liam could redo it.”

“I like that idea.”

Kaiba climbed down the ladder and waited for Mokuba. He slid down it again and walked away from it. “I want to check the controls. Is that going to be okay? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“I can try.”

“Okay!”

They walked around to a metal staircase that lead up to the cockpit and climbed up it. When they got into the jet, he felt his stomach twist looking out the windows. He swore he saw the ocean again, rushing towards him, and sank to the ground. Mokuba sat next to him and put his hand on his shoulder. “We can leave if you want.”

“No it’s okay, I just can’t look up.” He scoffed and shook his head. “I feel like an idiot. There’s no reason to be like this.”

“There’s a lot of reason to be like this. I get it.” He smiled reassuringly, squeezing his shoulder. “Nothing’s going to happen to either of us in here okay? Let’s just look under the panel, then we can go.”

Kaiba nodded to him and watched him crawl over to an access panel under the controls. He popped it open and let it fall to the side. Pushing himself up to look into it, he groaned again, “They messed this up too.”

“They always do.”

He laughed. “Yeah and we’d spend a week putting it back together right. Why do we hire these guys?”

“Good ones are hard to find.”

Mokuba scoffed, “Yeah they are! Liam’s turning out to be one of the good ones though. Good eye.”

“That was more or less an accident.”

“True. I looked through his work history and records. I don’t know how he didn’t have a job like this earlier. His work was flawless.”

“Sometimes opportunities don’t come up as often as they should, and he couldn’t leave for a long time to find more.”

“I wish there was a way to find people like that, you know? Ones who do really well just at the wrong time.”

He nodded, laying down on the floor of the cockpit to look in the panel with Mokuba. “We could fix this in a week again.”

“You don’t like being in here, Seto. You don’t need to do that.”

“You’re right, maybe two weeks. I already need a break.”

Mokuba laughed and closed the panel. “If Jou doesn’t have you running around everywhere, I’d love the help.”

“I’m giving him some space. This is a good fill in.”

“Space?”

Kaiba nodded, sitting up again to get out of the jet. He needed to get out soon. He could feel the anxiety crushing him from the inside out. It was hot and hard to breathe. He still felt ridiculous, but he couldn’t help it. He stood up and walked out of the jet, Mokuba not far behind him. Once outside, he took a deep breath. The feeling started to go away, and by the time he was down the stairs he could breathe normally. 

“Why would Jou need space?”

“It’s complicated. He’s still-”

“Oh! Yeah I get it. I guess I’m pretty lucky.” Mokuba smiled at him. “I already got you back.”

“Exactly.” Kaiba followed Mokuba towards the elevator. “What else happened while I was gone?”

“I finished all your projects. At least the ones I could find. The new one I'm on now, aside from this,” he said, gesturing back towards the jet, “Is a gaming room like a Holodeck from Star Trek. I’ve actually got it worked out! I’m this close!” Mokuba lifted his fingers maybe an inch apart, grinning. “Just got some more tweaks to do and I’ll have gaming centers with it opened up around the city. I thought it was a better direction to take the VR systems instead of the chambers. Too many bad experiences there.”

Kaiba snickered, “You’re right about that.”

“When I get it closer, you should come see it!”

“I’d love to.”

“Yuugi’s designing a few games for it too. They’re really cool!”

Mokuba spent the rest of their walk back to the front doors describing the games Yuugi was working on. They sounded perfect for launching that kind of gaming system. He smiled at Mokuba, so proud of what he'd accomplished with him gone. This was the right decision, even if it wasn’t done how he’d wanted it. At the front doors, he looked down at his tablet. 

“Okay, so looks like we’re redoing the right engine, rebuilding the controls… Alright. So,” Mokuba looked up at him and smiled. “I’ll get this done and I’ll tell you about it at the party.”

“What party?”

“Anzu’s going away party. How don’t you know about that?”

Kaiba reached into his pocket for his phone and saw almost 40 missed text messages on it. He turned his phone on silent when he left the house but he didn’t think anything of it until now. “Apparently I missed that.”

“It’s this Friday. She leaves Sunday morning for New York. I’ll be there too.”

“You have time?”

“I’m making time.” Mokuba smiled at him. “It’s one thing I learned from watching you.”

“I’m glad you figured that out,” he scoffed. “I figured it out too late.”

“Better late than never right?” he giggled and gave him a hug goodbye. “See you Friday!”

“Goodbye, Moki.”

\----

The week went by slowly, very slowly. Trying to give Jou space after all of that was harder than he thought. Working with him made it easier, but more difficult at the same time. He was happy to see him and work with him, but he kept his distance. Whatever he was doing seemed to be working. By Thursday, Jou was back to his normal self; flirting and messing with him all day at work. Friday morning he got up early to stop by the coffee shop he frequented to get Jou and him something before going over to his apartment. He’d decided he’d given him enough space, and honestly, he just wanted to see him again outside of the shop. 

Walking in, he took a deep breath of the sweet coffee smell in the air and looked around. The small coffee shop was quaint; all black and white with pictures of black and white coffee beans and drinks on the walls. A few students sat in one corner with laptops whispering to each other, while an older gentleman sat at a table with a coffee mug; looking like he was either trying to get away from someone or waiting for them. 

He glanced up at the counter and saw two of the barista’s walking around, cleaning and talking. Unfortunately the normal barista he saw there wasn’t among them. Instead, a girl, maybe 17, stood at the counter looking like she hated life. “What can I make for you?”

Kaiba gave her his normal order, black coffee and Jou’s stupid sweeter than candy latte he always ordered. Because it was so complicated, the girl was having a hard time understanding what he was asking for. After about 2 minutes of repeating himself over and over, he was about to leave. She sighed and looked back at the other two, busy in some conversation about their boyfriends. Then she looked at him with a strangled smile. “I’m really sorry. I’m new here and this is my first day.”

Kaiba reached out, asking for the paper and pen she had. Then he wrote it all down for her again. When she looked at it she started laughing. “Okay I swear I was hearing something else. Where are you from? I love your accent.”

“Accent?”

“Yeah! It's like… I don’t know. I’ve heard it before.”

He just blinked at her. He’d never heard that before. He was talking exactly like he normally did. Then the coffee shop door opened. The girl looked up past him and the look of relief on her face made him smirk. “Tori! Save me!”

He turned to see the barista he normally ordered from, Kotori, walk past him to the counter. She looked at him, then her, and started laughing. “Come here. I’ll show you how to make it. The usual right?”

“Yes.”

“Chiyo, this is Mr. Anderson. He’s a regular.” Then she glanced over at the other two before smiling at her. “You got a fun one right off the bat, huh?”

She blushed. “Seems that way. That’s all I’ve gotten this morning.”

“I see you got the dream team over there too.”

The two girls frowned at her and walked towards the back. Chiyo smiled at him. “We’ll have those done quick for you, Mr. Anderson. Again, I’m really sorry.”

“No need to apologize.”

Chiyo’s face lit up like she’d made some grand break through. “American! That’s your accent, but it’s a little different than I normally hear it.”

Kaiba didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t there that long. Kotori giggled, “It’s cute, isn’t it?”

“It is!” Chiyo shifted her weight from one foot to the other dramatically. “It’s faint too. How long have you lived here?”

All his life… “A few months.”

“Where’s the boyfriend?” Kotori asked.

Kaiba was happy for the change of subject. He didn’t know what they were talking about and it made him uncomfortable. “Sleeping.”

“Ooo is this a surprise coffee then?”

“I guess.”

“I’ll make it special! I also have a new coffee that I think you’d like. Want to try it?” He thought about it, but he really just wanted what he normally got. She set one of the cups on the counter and smiled at him. “How about I make you both and if you don’t like it, it’s on me.”

“I can do that.”

She made the other coffees and set them on the counter for him, waiting for him to try it. So he did, and it was actually really good. “What is this?”

“A new blend of coffee bean that I’m not going to bore you with but it’s got a nutty note to it, and sweet itself. I tossed in a sprinkle of cinnamon and some honey. Not too much honey, like I said. It’s already sweet.”

“Bittersweet.”

“Exactly! I’m trying to get it put on on the board for all of us black coffee drinkers out there.”

“Black coffee?” Chiyo wrinkled her nose. “Who drinks that?”

“Us!” Kotori laughed. “If I want cream, I have ice cream. If I want coffee, I have coffee.”

“Exactly,” Kaiba snickered, grabbing the portable cup holder with the coffees inside of it. 

“See you tomorrow?”

Kaiba nodded and turned to walk out of the coffee shop. He could hear them still talking about accents as he walked through the doors. He didn’t have one. Wouldn’t someone have said something earlier? 

Jou’s apartment wasn’t far from the coffee shop, maybe a block. When he got to the door and knocked. He expected to wait a long time while Jou woke up to make it to the door, but it opened quickly. Yuugi moved to the side, ushering him in with a smile at the coffee cups. “One for me?”

“I don’t know. Do you like black coffee?”

“I like the creamer I have in the fridge.”

“Then yes, it’s yours.”

Yuugi laughed and took it from the carrier. “He’s still sleeping.”

“Good.” Kaiba set the carrier down on the counter and started to walk to Jou’s room when he stopped. “Do you think I have an accent?”

Yuugi stopped mid pour of his creamer to turn around. “Yeah, why?”

“I don’t think I do.”

Finishing putting creamer in his coffee, he turned to grab a spoon from the drawer under the counter and smiled at him. “All four of you have accents. Yours isn’t as bad as Sylia and Liam’s, or Atem’s, but it’s there.”

“I don’t hear it with him or me.”

“Atem definitely has it. I love it! When he gets excited or upset his accent changes. It’s adorable!” Yuugi giggled. “Yours comes through when you’re in a good mood. I don’t know why, but it does.” Then he grinned at him. “Like now.”

“I’m not doing anything.”

“And it’s gone.”

He narrowed his eyes at him as he lifted the cup to take a sip and walked away. After Yuugi sat in the living room, still fucking grinning, Kaiba turned around and made his way down the hall. Pushing open Jou’s door, he walked into the room; still pitch black and still a mess. He tried to be quiet, walking over to the bed, so he wouldn’t scare him awake. He could see Jou’s face through the light of the open doorway and sighed. He looked uncomfortable or maybe like he was concentrating, he wasn’t sure. So he reached out and brushed his hair back out of his face. “Wake up, Jou.”

He groaned and shifted. “What time is it?”

“Time to get up. I brought you coffee.”

Jou shifted in the bed and rolled onto his stomach, looking at him. He frowned, blinking a few times, then smiled. “What’re ya doin’ here?”

“Bringing you coffee.”

“Why?”

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow. “I thought you’d want it?”

Jou’s smile widened. “That’s it? Just wanted ta bring me coffee?”

“Can I not bring you coffee?”

Jou snickered and moved to the edge of the bed where Kaiba was kneeling. He reached out and pulled him over to kiss him. “I missed ya too.”

He didn’t respond, instead he kissed him back. A week was too long. It wasn’t even a full week. Jou squeezed the back of his neck and let go. He sat up in bed, crawling out of it to turn the lamp on. Kaiba looked around the room while Jou got ready, shaking his head at the mess. “It’s worse than before.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Doing what?”

“Not cleanin’.”

“Are you trying to tell me you cleaned when I came over here last?”

He looked back at Jou who was trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. Satisfied with that, he walked out of the room to wait for him. Yuugi looked up at him briefly when he entered the living room, then down at his book. Kaiba narrowed his eyes at it, trying to read the cover. “What are you reading?”

“Red’s gaming guide.”

“Didn’t you write that?”

“He made notes.”

Kaiba grabbed his coffee, determined to stop that conversation before it started. Jou came into the room and smiled at Yuugi. “Hey! Ya gotta coffee too!”

“I stole one,” he said, glancing up from the book for a split second.

“Whatcha doin’ today?”

“Setting up for Anzu’s party. Are you coming after work?”

“After, after work,” Jou grumbled, “Gotta talk ta Ito ‘bout his clutch. He’s not gonna like it.”

“I thought you already did that?”

“I really don’t wanna tell the guy he can’t drive for shit ‘n needs it replaced again.”

“So you’re waiting till you can get a drink right after?”

Jou pointed at him and made the same click sound Shizuka did at the bar. “Ya got it.” He picked up the coffee and took a sip. “Kotori knows me too well.”

“I think she knows both of us too well,” Kaiba murmured, looking down at his coffee.

“Is she the one who said something about your accent?” Yuugi asked, completely looking up from the book with a devilish grin.

Kaiba just stared at Yuugi, horrified. That’s the last time he asked him anything. Yuugi giggled as Jou glanced between them. “Who? What?”

“Corbin asked me if he had an accent.”

“Ya do. Not like mine though. Fuck. Must be nice only havin’ like a year ta pick one up.”

“I still don’t hear it.”

“Ya wouldn’t, but I do. I think it’s cute.”

That’s what they said at the coffee shop. He grumbled and stomped towards the door. Jou laughed, following after him. “What? It is!”

\----

He walked into the bar after work, seeing Yuugi, Atem and Anzu talking as they decorated the bar. They had streamers and balloons up everywhere. More like a little kids birthday party than an adult going away party, but Kaiba knew Anzu and Yuugi were the ones who picked it out, so he tried to ignore it. Atem held up the side of a streamer opposite of Anzu, and smirked at Yuugi. “Are you trying to tell me you wouldn’t like that?” 

“Are you trying to tell me you don’t like doing makeup anymore?” Yuugi giggled.

“I’m just saying I’d like being a house boyfriend too. You make plenty to keep me entertained and cover everything else we could ever need.”

Anzu burst into laughter, doubling over with a streamer in her hand.

“You’d be so bored! What are you going to do?”

Anzu stood up, putting her hand to her mouth as she giggled, “You’d be a perfect house boyfriend, like the American 50’s housewives.”

“Exactly!”

Yuugi laughed, shaking his head at both of them. “No one’s being a house anything.”

Atem grinned at Yuugi, leaning a little closer to him. “Are you sure,  _ partner _ ? I think you’d love me meeting you at the door in nothing but an apron with a margarita made for you every day.”

He swore Yuugi turned red from head to toe, staring at Atem with wide eyes. Anzu lost it, falling back into the bar laughing. He thought about just walking back out. This was a conversation he didn’t want to hear and didn’t want to be part of in any way, shape, or form. But one step back, and Atem turned. “Hey Kaiba.”

Yuugi somehow got even redder. “I hate both of you so much,” he groaned, covering his face with his hands. 

Atem laughed and wrapped his arms around him, murmuring something, when Anzu pushed herself off the bar to join in the hug. “I’m going to miss you both like crazy!” 

Then she moved away from them to bolt towards Kaiba. He sucked in a sharp breath, not comprehending what was going on before it was too late. Anzu jumped at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and almost knocking him over. “Oh my god I can’t believe it! We missed you so much, Kaiba!” She stepped back, bouncing on the balls of her feet and beaming at him. “This is the best going away present ever! Yuugi and Atem told me everything.”

Kaiba glared over her shoulder at them. “I see that.”

“Don’t be mad at them. I figured it out and threatened Yuugi if he didn’t spill all the details.” 

Sylia walked in from the back at that point, snickering at Anzu, “That’s my girl!”

Anzu giggled at her and then waved at Kaiba to follow her. “I want to talk to you real quick.”

“No.”

She laughed and grabbed his arm. “I promise it will be quick and painless.”

Sylia laughed, joining Atem and Yuugi to finish up the decorations. Kaiba let Anzu drag him over to the corner of the bar glaring at her. She smiled at him anyway, then her smile shifted. “I need a favor.”

“I thought this was supposed to be painless.”

She laughed and crossed her arms over her chest, looking down at the ground. “It is.” He quirked a brow at her as she fidgeted a little, then she looked back at Sylia, Atem and Yuugi. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. It could be forever, if everything goes right. I just want to make sure they're okay.”

“What does that have to do with me?”

She looked directly at him and he had to stop himself from looking away from her. “I just don’t want to leave here and find out that it all went to hell. I know they’re happy,” she said gesturing to Atem and Yuugi, “but they need someone on their side. I just want to be sure you’re not going to leave them.”

“They’re adults, Anzu. They don’t need babysitting.”

“No they don't. They need a family. They don’t have one.”

Kaiba turned to see Sylia joking around with Yuugi and Atem. They did though. They had Sylia and Liam and the rest of their friends. He just didn’t understand what she was talking about.

“This is crazy,” she said, shaking her head, “I can’t believe you’re the one I’m giving this speech to.” She sighed again, making him look at her, “I’ve been here for Yuugi through everything, just like Jou. He lost his grandpa and he lost Atem and he lost you, and I’m going too.”

“This sounds like something you should say to Atem or Jou, not me.”

Anzu laughed, shifting to rest her hand on her hip. “Atem got a speech from me already, just like the one I gave Yuugi, and Jou will get one too, but yours is different. They need to keep being them and stick together. That is something I’ll never have to worry about. I’m worried about you.”

“What about me?”

Anzu smiled at him. “Kaiba, whether you like it or not, they see you as family.” 

He didn’t know what to say to that. It sounded ridiculous. No they didn’t.

“I don’t know if things have changed with you or not. Atem and Yuugi seem to think it has, but… I’m worried this is all just some way to get to what you want, then you’ll be gone. They can’t do that.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at her and crossed his arms over his chest. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You said to me years ago that having people close to you is just another way to open yourself up for disaster. The more you have, the more you lose. And family worst of all, because they make you feel that you owe them something. You do everything for them and you get nothing in return. Do you remember that?”

Kaiba relaxed a little. Yes, he did remember saying that to her and he believed it wholeheartedly when he said it. Some relative of Anzu’s came to stay with her for a while, claiming she was tossed out of her house and needed help. Anzu welcomed her with open arms and all their friends pitched in to help her out. In a matter of months, she managed to get Anzu blamed for stealing jewelry at a mall, Yuugi had something of his grandfathers stolen that he could never replace, Ryou’s car was totaled after he let her borrow it to get to work that she never tried to make it to (it was a bar she was headed for if he remembered right) and Honda lost his job after getting her one at the car dealership he worked at. All of them lost so much because of that girl except for Jou; only because Kaiba wouldn't let him help her. The day Anzu kicked her out, Jou made him come over to her apartment to offer some support. That’s what he told her. 

“It’s not just you anymore, whether you wanted it or not. Yuugi and Atem trust you, Sylia and Liam trust you, Mokuba and Jou trust you. They need the help and there will be times where they can’t give you anything in return. If you still feel like you did then, they’re in a lot of trouble.”

Kaiba started to bark out at her that it wasn’t any of her damn business what he thought and none of them felt that way to begin with. She was exaggerating the whole situation. No one needed babysitting and no one needed anything from him. The more he thought about it, the madder he got, until he realized that this conversation was offending him. He was actually offended that she thought he’d do that,  _ but he would have _ . He tried to think of some way to tell her that this was different than that, but the more he tried to figure out how to say that, the more he realized it wasn’t. It wasn’t any different. He already did things for all of them without getting anything back. He fixed Sylia and Liam’s house, got Liam a good job and a new house. He made sure Atem was safe, driving at 3 in the fucking morning to pick him up because he asked him. He brought him to Sylia and Liam and helped him in anything he needed after that even before he knew he was Atem. He couldn’t pay him back. Yes, he did bring him back in general but that was a type of debt not paid like that. He didn’t even think about it like that. He went over to the game shop to talk to Yuugi when he could have just stayed at the bar with Jou. That’s what he wanted in the first place. Nothing with Atem or Yuugi or even Sylia and Liam after they got back to Domino had to do with that. Talking to Anzu, he realized he’d broken every single rule he’d ever had.

Then he started laughing. Anzu looked at him like he had six heads but he didn’t care. He broke every rule and he’d do it all again. The fact stood; he was wrong, at least in part. There’s a big difference between being related and being family. There was a big difference between obligation and whatever it was that made him actually want to help. There will be times where he’d help them and get nothing, just like there will be times that they would help him and get nothing, but that’s the whole point wasn't it? It was knowing that the help will be there in the future if it’s needed, like a silent contract that no one talks about yet still exists. She was right about one thing, but it wasn't them who was in trouble.

“What’s so funny?”

He looked back out at the bar, Liam, Otogi, Ryou and Honda walked in and helped set up a few things. Then Mokuba and Shizuka walked in, moving behind the bar to make them all a drink. Jou came in about then too, barreling through like he usually did, and Sylia gave him a big hug.

“The only thing you should worry about is all of them putting me in an early grave.”

Anzu shook her head and pushed his shoulder. “Don’t even joke about that.”

“Hey Anzu! What are ya doin? You’re missin’ your own party!” Jou shouted from the bar, waving at her.

Anzu laughed and looked up at Kaiba. “One more thing, Jou likes to disappear some time around the anniversary of the crash. You didn’t hear it from me, but he goes to see you.”

“See me?”

Anzu nodded then walked away, laughing at whatever Otogi and Honda were doing when Honda fell out of the bar stool onto the ground. He followed after her, snickering at them too and wondering what she was talking about.


	14. Chapter 14

Anzu left that Sunday. He had other things to worry about, other things to do, so he planned to meet with Mokuba and talk about the controls. That plan ended up backfiring. Mokuba took him to the airport to say goodbye anyway. He claimed Shizuka insisted he go, but Kaiba was pretty sure he wanted to see her off like everyone else. When Anzu hugged him goodbye, she made sure he understood what she meant before Jou, Yuugi and Atem got there. He didn’t think anything of it then, but as a month passed, he really wished she hadn’t. The last thing he needed to think about while helping Mokuba with the controls was his grave. 

Come July, they were still working in the damn jet cockpit. Whoever Mokuba had build it was even more of an idiot than the people who built his. They ended up having to rebuild just about everything from the ground up. That’s when Kaiba found out his original plans for the jet were gone. Mokuba explained that they went missing at some point but he wasn't sure if it was before the crash or after. The plans Mokuba used for this jet, was the version before, but he corrected it on his own to get it to where it should be. Kaiba was impressed he remembered all of it. When he looked over the plans Mokuba made, he was even more impressed how identical to his they were. 

It should’ve taken a few weeks to figure it all out, even with the setbacks, but he was stupidly terrified to be in the jet. It wasn’t on, wasn’t in the air, and sure as hell wasn’t near the ocean. His fear was irrational, and he knew it. Mokuba kept telling him he didn’t have to help him, but he was determined not to let something so ridiculous stop him. Liam had to pick him up and take him home at one point, just as upset as he was when he broke the highball glass. He thought about stopping then. His anxiety was winning. 

Then, somehow, SOMEHOW, Jou found out (although he had a pretty good idea how, and it was a damn good thing Yuugi was nowhere to be seen or he’d give him an earful about it). He didn’t want anyone to see him like that; especially Jou. But the day he decided to give it one more try before telling Mokuba he couldn't do it, he came home to find Jou sitting on the couch with his Xbox, claiming it broke again. He sat with him and fixed it, feeling infinitely better by the end. He hoped it was a one time thing, but Jou came back over with something else for them to work on the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. 

He kept coming over to the house when he’d get back, staying with him all night, and then going to work with him in the morning during the week. When Jou went home Saturday morning, he figured that was the end of it, but come Monday, he found him at home again, starting it all back up. He did that all month. Kaiba might have hated it at first, but he knew if Jou wasn’t there, he’d never be able to help Mokuba like he promised. No one did anything like that for him before. He couldn’t even think of a time that Jou did that for him before, and that might be because he’d never needed it. He did now, and Jou was there. He had no way of thanking him for it. He tried, but just saying it didn’t feel like enough, so he didn’t. The closest he got to thanking him, was to stop complaining about him being there, and he felt guilty about that, but what else could he do?

Friday night at the end of July, Kaiba expected to come home to an empty house. Sylia and Liam decided to go sightseeing and would be gone until Sunday. Atem was helping Yuugi at the shop moving something and wouldn’t be back until Saturday night. He wasn’t really paying attention to the details of that, but the point was; everyone should be gone. He’d get quiet for the first time in what felt like ages, and he was really looking forward to that. But the house wasn’t empty at all when he stepped in the front door. Jou sat on the living room floor with his legs crossed, food on the table, and the television on. “There ya are!”

“What’s all this?”

“Thoughtcha might be hungry.”

He walked into the room and sat down beside Jou, smirking at him, then the food. “Not that I don’t appreciate the food or you being here, Katsuaya, but didn’t you need space?”

Jou laughed, falling back against the sofa. “That was months ago.”

“Months of zero space.”

“I got the weekends.” Then he shrugged, still grinning. “I’m really just here for your bed. Mine’s the fuckin’ worst.”

“That’s because it’s as old as you are.”

Jou laughed again, nodding. “So why ya in such a good mood? Did ya not help Moki today?”

His stomach felt like it twisted as he thought of how to answer that. “I was able to work on a part outside of the jet.”

“Ah. So that’s what’s freakin’ ya out? Don’t like flyin’?”

“No I really don’t.”

“How’d ya make it through a 17 hour flight ta get here?”

“A lot of scotch.” Kaiba grinned at Jou’s laughter beside him. That was as good an explanation as any, and it wasn’t far from the truth. He really didn’t like flying anymore. “Is that why you’re over here? Worried about me?”

“Yeah,” Jou said, stopping his laughter to look at him more seriously, but kept his crooked grin. “And I wanted ta let ya know I don’t need the space anymore.”

“The space you didn't get?”

“I got enough,” Jou snickered. “I know what I’m doin’ now.”

“What’s that?”

“Bein’ with ya.”

Kaiba grinned at him, feeling like he did in the back of the car taking Jou to his apartment after he got out of the hospital. Jou shook his head and laughed at him. He knew he was laughing AT him too, but he was far too pleased to be bothered by it. He moved forward, kissing him softly and moving his lips against his; reveling in Jou’s faded laughter as he melted into it like he always did. He reached up and brushed his fingers against Jou’s cheek, leaning back a little to continue grinning at him. “So, what are you making me watch?”

Jou turn his attention to the television. “I don’t remember the name of it, but it’s some horror movie.”

“You picked a horror movie, thinking I’d come back like I have for the last two months? That was your choice?”

He shrugged, looking back at him. “I couldn't think of anythin’ so I called-”

“Ryou. I got it.”

“Right?!” Jou chortled, turning the movie on and grabbing the box of take out on the table. “I made sure there’s no ocean in it ‘n it doesn’t gotta do with flyin’,” he said, snuggling into his side. Like that just made everything better.

“How sweet of you,” he mocked, taking the other box of the table.

He hated horror movies. Well, to be fair, he hated most movies, but he  _ loved _ watching horror movies with Jou. He was the worst person to watch a movie with. Absolutely the worst. He was animated, talked through the whole thing, asked a million questions, and would shout at the television. If he actually thought he’d like the movie, he made a point to watch it before watching it with Jou. There was no watching anything while he was there. That perfect storm made watching awful movies  _ perfect _ to see with him. He’d jump, shout at the characters that they were going to die or do something stupid, and ask questions that he didn’t even know the answers to, making them miss cruitial plot points and never get the answers. The movie might be stupid and cliched and definitly not scary in anyway, but Jou’s constant jumping and talking made up for it. 

Ryou picked a good awful movie.

\----

Kaiba laid awake in bed Sunday night after everyone got back, feeling like something was going to happen. He tried, but he couldn’t figure out why he felt that way. Was it because they were officially dating like he’d wanted and he was afraid of losing that again? Or was it because he had to work on the jet with Mokuba the next day? He didn’t know and the feeling wouldn’t go away. He fell asleep trying as hard as he could to stay awake and figure it out, but he couldn’t.

Walking through a graveyard, he searched for his tombstone. He wasn’t sure exactly where it was, but he knew it was close by. Somehow, he just knew; like he knew he needed to find it. Being in a graveyard looking for his place in it was strange enough, but the eerie sunlight made it so much worse. It was dim, as if the sun was behind thin clouds, low in the sky, giving everything an orange and mustard hue. He passed by so many stones, but couldn’t read them from all the dust, dirt, and overgrown weeds surrounding them. Had no one visited this place in a while? He turned the corner and saw what he was looking for. Unlike the rest of the graveyard, his tombstone and the space surrounding it was upkept and almost new. The contrast was enough to make him pause, but the person sitting on the ground in front of it, made him stiffen. He had jet black hair that looked like it needed to be cut, and wore faded stained jeans and a shirt that looked hauntingly familiar. 

Kaiba stared wide eyed at the person he’d been for the last year stand up from the dirt and turn.

“Corbin?”

“And you’re Seto Kaiba. Nice to meet you body buddy.” He laughed, and it sounded like his voice, but different. Kaiba just stared at him, having a hard time separating himself from what he was seeing. When he looked down at himself, Corbin laughed again. “You look like you. Don’t worry. This won’t take long, I swear. You’re a busy guy.”

He looked back up, frowning. “What do you want?”

Corbin backed up and gestured for Kaiba to come closer and sit on the short stone wall surrounding his grave. He moved, whether he wanted to or not. Stepping past the invisible gateway between the walkway and his grave, he felt a chill run down his spine. He rolled his shoulders and moved to the side to sit on the wall. Corbin paced on the other side of the plot, looking at the tombstone, then smirked at him. “How’s my life treating you?”

“It could be a lot better.”

Corbin laughed, scratching his jaw with his thumb then, looked back at him. “I know I said I wasn’t going to talk to you, but… I need you to get Kitty.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Atem told you about my son, but I had a daughter too. I didn’t tell him before because well… I mean, it wasn’t any of his damn business.”

“This is the weirdest fucking dream,” he muttered to himself pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look, I don’t know what you want me to do. Why bother?”

“She needs your help.”

“I’m busy.”

“Stop being an asshole because you think I’m not real,” Corbin huffed reaching into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. “I’d talk to you normally, but I’m kind of freaked out that you’ll have another seizure. Death tends to do that.”

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Kaiba said, watching him pull a cigarette out and put it to his lips to light it.

“You think you’re the only one who’s escaped death? It comes with a price tag.” He took a drag of the cigarette, eyeing Kaiba up. “Haven’t you seen the Final Destination movies?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

Corbin laughed, exhaling smoke. “Don’t fucking watch them now. You’ll put yourself in the hospital.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying there’s a reason you can’t look out at the ocean or sit in your jet. Just like Atem can’t go over bridges.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Didn’t he tell you how he woke up?”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at him. Come to think of it, no he never did. “No.”

“Al killed himself. Jumped into the fucking Illinois river like the dramatic dumbass he was.” Corbin laughed, a look of fond remorse on his face. “I shoulda kept up with him... Ugh anyway. He died in that river, but next thing anyone knows, after missing for a week, he shows up at home sopping wet with no memory of anything. Don’t believe me? Drive him over a bridge. See how he reacts.” He sat on the short stone wall surrounding Kaiba’s grave and leaned forward on his knees, rubbing his hands together with the cigarette between his fingers. “Kaiba, I’m asking you nicely. Don’t worry about me proving shit yet. I will. You’re going to hate it, but I will. I need you to do this for me.”

“I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Kitty is my little girl. They wouldn’t let me have her before, but they will let you.”

“I can’t just hop on a plane, walk into the town and start yelling for her. What am I supposed to do?”

“You turned my life around. You own it now. Go tell them you can keep her.”

Kaiba was getting frustrated. “Tell  _ who _ ?”

“Social- You know what? Fuck it.” He stood up, fishing in his pockets again. “Do you have a pen?”

Kaiba looked down in his suit coat where he normally kept pens and handed him one. He grabbed Kaiba’s hand and the pen and wrote a phone number on it. “Call them. Tell them you want to get Kitty. Tell them you’ll do what they want. Just get her.”

“I think I'm dealing with enough of your past exploits,” Kaiba snarled, yanking his hand back.

“That little girl means everything to me.”

“Then you shouldn’t have abandoned her.” Kaiba got up and started to walk away when Corbin grabbed him. “Let go!”

“I’m not asking you to fix a mistake I made. I’m asking you to get  _ your _ daughter. She needs you NOW. Not whenever you feel like looking into it.”

“Give me one good reason why I should listen to you. Even if you were real, which you aren’t, you killed yourself on heroin, abandoned your family, drained them dry, and now you’re asking for favors? I’ve cleaned up enough of your messes. Go to hell.”

“I don’t want her to be like me.”

Kaiba locked his jaw. 

“She’s not safe anymore. Trust me. Just call them and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”

“I’m not calling anyone.”

Corbin smiled at him, releasing him and holding his hands up in the air like he’d pointed a gun at him. “See you later, Kaiba. Remember. He’s here.” He pointed down at the ground, with his arms still up.

“What?” Kaiba blinked and he was gone; everything was gone.

He looked around, realizing he was in the front yard. Carding his hands through his hair, he tried to figure out how the hell he got out there when Liam walked outside. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t know. I think I was sleepwalking.”

Liam sighed, “I know you want to help your little brother but this is starting to become a problem.” When Kaiba just glared at him, Liam sighed again, “Well, come in.”

Kaiba took one last look outside before waking in. He ran his hands through his hair again, resting on the back of his neck. How did he end up outside? And why? Maybe Liam was right. He didn’t want to give up, but this was getting to him. He glared at the ground and walked to the front door. Liam looked him over as he passed by and patted his back. “Are you sure you’re okay?’

“Yeah.”

Liam nodded and let Kaiba walk back to his room in silence. When he got inside, he shut the door and leaned back against it. That was the craziest dream he’d ever had by far, but the overwhelming feeling something was going to happen was just gone. The bed felt like it was calling to him, so he walked over to it and sat down. He started to reach for his phone to check the time, when he saw something on his hand. Using his other hand to flip the lamp on, sucked in a sharp breath. On his hand, in blue ink, was the phone number Corbin wrote from his dream. He gasped, watching his hand shake. How was that even possible? He said he’d prove he was real, but Kaiba didn’t believe it. “Alright, Corbin. I see it.”

It looked like an Illinois number. Whoever it was for would definitely be awake. Something in him made him reach out to his nightstand and grab his phone. He glared at the number as he typed it into the phone, then held it to his ear. It rang a few times when a woman picked up. “Hello?”

“Hello.” Suddenly he really wished he thought this through before calling. “My uh, my name is Corbin Anderson... I’m calling about Kitty.”

“Corbin? Wow I… Yes, hold on.”

He started to protest, wanting to figure out what was going on first, but she set the phone down. He just wanted to ask some questions. Maybe he should’ve talked to Liam and Sylia about it first. It was a little late now, but no one was on the phone. Maybe he could still do that. He thought about hanging up, when a small voice came on the phone. “Hello?”

“Hello… Kitty?”

“I said hello.”

Kaiba laughed at how indignant she sounded. “You did. I uh…” He wasn’t expecting to get that far at all. He couldn’t believe she was a real person let alone talking to him on the phone. She sounded around 5. “Do you know who I am?”

“Mrs. Nancy says you’re my dad.”

“She did?”

“Yeah! She’s talking to Mrs. Amy. Are you coming to see me? Austin and I made sock puppets! When are you going to see it?”

He heard shuffling. Then the woman from before told Kitty to go back and play. When she came back on the phone, she laughed nervously. “I’m really sorry about that. Just set the phone down for a second. Ha, Kids. Well uh… this is strange.”

He scoffed, resting his elbows on his knees, “You have no idea.”

“I take it you’re calling because of the accident.”

Corbin said she wasn’t safe but he didn’t say anything about an accident. “What accident?”

“Oh! Wow, how did-? Never mind. Kitty’s Grandparents got into a horrible car accident. They died a week or so ago, so Kitty’s back with me for now. She doesn’t have any family left here to contact so I’ve been looking for you. I heard you woke up from the coma and got a new job. Really cleaned up your life.”

“Can I get her?”

Nancy let out the most relieved sigh Kaiba had ever heard, “I’ve been waiting for almost 4 years to hear you say that. You should’ve gotten her then.”

Kaiba grit his teeth together. Yeah, that asshole should have, but no, he waited until it was someone else's problem. “You’re right. I should have.” 

“I’ll set up an appointment for you to fill out all the paperwork and set up visits and things for the process to begin.”

“Hold on. What visits?”

“The social worker has to visit your home, make sure you have a job and are drug free before we can move forward.”

“I live in Japan now. How do I do any of that?”

“Oh oh! You… well… That’s a great question.” 

She set the phone down again. He heard her walk away and the kids giggling in the background. Why was he doing this in the first place? But that was an easy question to answer. The number Corbin wrote on his hand was real and Kitty was real. Even if he really didn’t want to deal with any more of that idiots life, that wasn’t her fault. 

“Seto?” Liam whispered from the doorway, making him look up.

Kaiba moved the phone away from his mouth and whispered, “Your son’s a complete fucking idiot.”

Liam walked into the room and closed the door behind him. “It’s 3 in the morning. You know that right?”

Kaiba nodded.

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know, someone named Nancy,” he muttered, looking down at the phone number on his hand, then Liam looked at it. 

His frown aged him. “Why does that number look familiar?” Then he grabbed Kaiba’s hand roughly yanking it closer to him as he plopped down on the bed. “That’s Corbin’s handwriting!”

Kaiba rolled his eyes, unable to move his arm out of Liam’s death grip. “He wanted me to call for Kitty.”

“Kitty! Wait, I thought Lindsey’s parents had her. Does this mean we can get her? Do we need to leave now? Where is she?”

Kaiba quirked an eyebrow at him. So he knew about Kitty? Why didn’t they say anything to him?! Liam beamed at him, like he'd told him he won the lottery. What the hell was he smiling about? He started to explain about the accident and tell him HE WAS FUCKING WORKING ON IT, when Nancy picked up the phone again and blew a raspberry into it. “Okay so, do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

Kaiba mouthed ‘lot of trouble’ to him as he glared at him, then looked down at the ground, muttering, “Dealers choice.”

She laughed. “Okay Corbin. I just talked to the social worker. She says that it will be exponentially easier if you come back. Is there any way you can satellite work until we get this squared away?”

“I…” he sighed, rubbing his forehead, “I can talk to my work.”

“That’s the bad news, the good news is she seems to really love that you want to do this. That’s always a good thing.”

“Yeah.”

“I have a lot of information I can send to you in an email. I’m sure you have a million questions.”

A million didn’t scratch the surface, and apparently Liam knew the answers to a good half of them. “I do. That would be great.”

He gave her Liam’s email address, after Liam practically yanked his arm off. He felt the bed shift, but was too busy listening to all the information she could give him over the phone to pay much attention to Liam’s excitement. “You got my number, Corbin. Call us anytime. Kitty can’t wait to see you.”

“Yeah, I will.”

“It was good talking to you again.”

“Thank you.”

“Sure thing. Bye!”

Kaiba sighed at the ended call. Great. Now what was he going to do? He looked up at Liam, but he was gone. “Liam?”

He walked out into the living room and saw Atem, Yuugi, Sylia and Liam sitting in the kitchen at the island, staring at him, have elated, half confused. He didn’t realize he’d woken up the whole house. Though, with how big Liam’s grin was, he imagined it was actually  _ his _ fault. Atem frowned at him. “So what’s going on?”

He walked into the kitchen too and sat down with everyone. Sylia bounced, snatching his hand to look at it. “Oh my god! It is his handwriting!”

“I told you,” Liam said, wrapping his arm around her, “We’re getting Kitty. We’re finally getting her.”

“Are you serious?! Really?!” She gasped and bounced again, then she turned back to look at Kaiba. Her excitement seized up when she met his eyes, and she lifted her shoulders with a sheepish half-smile. “I bet you’re pretty pissed at us right now, aren’t you?”

Pissed? No. Furious? Much closer. “That’s one of the things, yes.”

She laughed and patted his hand. “Corbin had two kids before him and Lindsey were arrested. She made sure we couldn’t see either of them and her parents got Kitty after the trial. We tried...really tried but Liam and I couldn’t find a steady job at the time. Lindsey's parents did. We always hoped, always prayed, we’d get to see her again, even if it's when she’s bigger. We didn’t tell you because we had no way of getting her anyway. I didn’t want to add more to your plate, but…” She turned to Liam, frowning. “I don’t understand why no one told us-”

Kaiba interrupted her, narrowing his eyes at her to make a point, “No one tells me anything either.”

“At least we tell you everything,” Yuugi chuckled.

“Too much of everything.”

“So how are you able to get Kitty now?”

“Her grandparents got into a car accident. She’s in foster care because she doesn’t have any other family or legal guardians there.”

“Why didn’t they call us?” Sylia asked.

“It sounded like the tried to.”

She pursed her lips not believing that, and honestly, he didn’t believe it either. Yuugi tilted his head, leaning closer to inspect his hand. “So how did you get that number on your hand?”

“I thought I was dreaming but,” Kaiba said, twisting his arm to look at it, “I was talking to Corbin and he wrote this on me.”

“Curious,” Atem said, tilting his head to the side, “He told me he wouldn’t do that.”

Kaiba tisked and crossed his arms over the table.

Yuugi lifted his shoulders, grinning ear to ear. “I know you’re mad, but I’m excited.”

Just when things were going well, now he had to leave again. How was he going to explain this to Jou? ‘So I know we just started officially dating and all, but it’s going to be long distance for a year. Hope that’s not a problem’. Yeah right. He buried his face in his hands, trying to think of how he’d explain, but there was no way he could. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Yuugi. “Stop worrying about Jou. He’ll understand.”

“No he won’t.”

“Yes, he will. He’s probably the one out of all of us that would most of all.” Yuugi tilted his head, narrowing his eyes a little then resuming his smile. “Except maybe you and Mokuba.”

Sylia sat up and looked at Liam. “I’ll go back with him so he’s not alone.”

“I don’t want to split our family up and it’s not fair you’d get to see her first.” Then Liam’s smile faltered. “Damn. I can’t leave tough. I have the other engine to fix. How long will this take?”

“Could be a few months, could be a year,” Kaiba murmured, “If your laws are anything like here, they want to make sure you’re not a serial killer.”

“Or a drug addict,” Atem said, smirking.

He glared at him. “Or that.”

Yuugi turned to Atem and started talking to him in what he still assumed was Egyptian. It was weird watching them have the conversation together that was obviously private. Atem didn’t look nearly as happy as Yuugi did while they were talking, until the very end when he started laughing. He turned to Sylia and cleared his throat, “Looks like we’re coming with him so you don’t have to.”

“You can’t do that, sweety,” Sylia said to Yuugi, “You have the game shop.”

“And I need to let it go.” Yuugi smiled sadly. “It’s never paid the bills since grandpa died. I’m using my own money to keep it open for him. It’s time to close it. I’m ready.”

Kaiba knew how much that meant to him. He didn’t want to be the reason he did that. But seeing Yuugi and Atem staring him down like they’d made that decision whether he liked it or not, he couldn’t argue. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me, and besides. I’m dying to see these corn fields you guys keep talking about.”

Everyone laughed, completely shifting the mood, but Kaiba still wasn’t convinced. “Are you sure you want to go back?”

Atem grinned. “I’m positive I want to go back. I have some showing off to do. Well, Yuugi has some showing off to do.”

Yuugi blushed and shoved him. “It’s settled then! I’ll need to talk to Mokuba, but I can work no matter where I am.”

“I might need to talk to him too. I can’t work at the shop in a different country.”

“Yeah and you’ll need a job,” Liam said, “We’ll try to visit you as often as we can.”

Kaiba nodded. “I need to get some sleep. I’m exhausted.”

“I’m sure you are. Corbin using your dream to talk to you takes a lot of energy from both sides,” Atem said, “He’ll probably talk to you a few more times yet.”

“Lucky me.”

\-----

The next day Kaiba went to work to find Jou wasn’t there. He’d taken a personal day, and normally it would bother him that Jou didn’t tell him he was doing that, but he needed time to think. He did text him anyway, to make sure he was alright, but Jou just said he wanted a day off, and he’d see him later that night. So Kaiba didn't think anything about it all day, while he came up with a way to explain everything to Jou. He thought he had a good speech prepared when he left to head to Kaiba Corp. 

After an hour of laying under the controls of the jet with Mokuba, he decided now was a good time to ask him about a remote job. “I have something I need your help with.”

Mokuba huffed, rolling over to look at the bolt he was working on to get a better angle on it. “Sure what’s up?”

“I found something out… I need to go back.”

Mokuba stopped working all together, looking at him with a worried frown. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just-” Kaiba sighed, sitting up and looking out the windows on accident.

His chest tightened and he gasped for air. Time for a break. He stood up and walked out of the jet, Mokuba hot on his tail. “What?”

He took a deep breath at the bottom of the stairs and walked over to the coffee pot set up on a desk not far away. “Nothing’s wrong. I have to go back because of this idiot.” He gestured to himself then poured himself a cup of coffee. “Apparently I have a daughter.”

Mokuba eeped and shot over to the side of the desk, beaming. “Kitty right?”

Kaiba turned, stopping mid pour to narrow his eyes at him. “How do you know about that?”

“I make it a point to look into people I hire.” Mokuba grinned. “I probably know more about you than you do.”

“You probably do,” Kaiba muttered as he finished the coffee. Then he leaned back against the desk, cradding the mug in his hands. “Anyway, I have to go and get her.”

“From her grandparents?”

“They died in a car accident.”

“Wow.” Mokuba blew out his cheeks, shoving his hands in his pockets. “So you have to go get her from the system then?”

“That’s the idea.”

“That sucks. Like…” Mokuba looked down at the ground and shook his head. “So what do you need from me?”

“I have to have a job while I’m there in order to get her.”

Mokuba beamed at him. “That’s the easiest thing you could ask me for.”

“I’ll be gone for awhile.”

“I know how it works.” Mokuba looked back at the jet, then started dancing making him laugh. “I’m an uncle! Shizuka’s going to freak! Have you talked to Jou about that yet?”

Kaiba’s laughter disappeared in an instant. “No.”

“Don’t worry about it. He’s going to be so excited too.”

“I wouldn’t be excited about him disappearing for a year.”

“You won’t be gone for a year.” Mokuba’s eyes sparkled. “I can help make that go by a little faster. Don’t worry. We got this!”

He nodded, staring down at his coffee. He didn’t feel nearly that excited, and that made him feel guilty. When he looked up Mokuba was mischievously grinning at him. “What?”

He folded his hands in front of his lips, them pointed them at him. “You have  _ got _ to stop giving me blackmailing material. You’re like a walking blackmail project right now.”

“I am not.”

“You are!” he laughed, throwing his hands to his sides. “All I have to do is threaten to lock you in that jet and you’d pretty much do whatever I wanted.”

“That's not funny.”

“I would never do that, but it’s still true. You were a drug addict, got a daughter, Jou, parents, and a fear of the ocean.” Mokuba cackled as he walked back up the metal stairs, “I’m set for life!”

He glared at him, shouting, “Says the guy who’s ‘dinnering’ with someone who coerced a bar out of him.” 

He could still hear Mokuba cackling as he walked into the jet. 

\-------

After they finished their work on the controls, Kaiba met Yuugi at the lobby doors, looking incredibly worried. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, frowning. “Have you heard from Jou? I’ve looked for him everywhere, but I can’t find him.”

Mokuba groaned, “Not again. Let me know if you find him.”

He watched Mokuba turn and walk away before looking at Yuugi. “I talked to him earlier this morning.”

“Well that’s better than me. I’ve tried calling him all day.”

“He should be at the house.”

Yuugi nodded and followed him out of the building. They went to the house where he said he’d be. He wasn’t there. So they went all around the city trying to find him, but it was like he vanished into thin air. He took a personal day from the shop set for the next day, wasn’t at the apartment, and no one had heard from him. He wasn’t responding to Kaiba’s texts anymore either.

Yuugi sighed, walking out of the coffee shop they usually went to. “He has to be somewhere. Did you check the bar?”

“Yes,” Kaiba said, “Shizuka hasn't heard from him and she’s texted him all day too. She’s worried too.”

“I’m out of places he goes to.”

Kaiba thought about it. They’d checked all the places Jou liked to frequent, but he had this nagging feeling he was forgetting someplace. He took a deep breath and reached down to adjust the cuff on his wrist when he looked at it. Anzu... “Yuugi, what day is it?”

“August 2nd. Why?”

“I know where he is.”

“You do! Where?” Yuugi then sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head. “Text me when you find him okay?”

He nodded and turned to walk towards the street, getting a cab. The cab took him to Domino City’s cemetery where Anzu said he’d be. Kaiba hated being there, and walking into it now, he hated it more than ever because of that damn dream. A solemness in the air hit him like a bucket of ice water when he walked inside. It was just like his dream, rows and rows of stone and dirt, but this one was upkept. Some families stood near their loved ones graves, talking to each other and praying; but he kept walking, ignoring the sounds of the cemetery as much as he could. He turned the corner and saw Jou sitting on the ground where he’d seen Corbin in his dream. That’s when he realized Jou was talking too. 

“I know ya probably hate me right now ‘n would rather I left ya alone, but… I miss ya. I still miss ya and I still love ya. Nothin’s ever gonna change that. Just wanted ta let ya know what’s goin’ on. It’s been awhile.” Then he looked down and snickered, “I know you’re probably pissed, but I’d rather ya stop givin’ me bad dreams.”

Kaiba watched him from the corner, feeling like coming any closer would make him disappear. Jou needed the space. He should have just waited for him at home where he said he’d meet him. He felt like an idiot for coming suddenly and turned to walk away. Then he heard Jou gasp. He looked back and saw Jou staring at him like he’d seen a ghost. Then he blinked. “Corbin?”

Kaiba stared at him, trying to figure out why he was looking at him so strange. “...I didn't mean to interrupt.”

“Oh uh… nah ya didn’t. Whatcha doin’ here though?”

“I was looking for you.”

Jou walked away from his grave and Kaiba stared at it past him. The small dragon etched into it glistened in the evening light and made him smile, but Jou looked to spooked to notice. Did he feel guilty about being there? “Are you okay, Jou?”

“Yeah… just thought I saw… Yeah. Just a long long night and morning,” he snickered and smiled at him. “What’s up? Somethin’ happen?”

Kaiba wanted to talk to him about leaving, but felt like this wasn’t the place. He regretted coming here. Even if he did know Jou was here, this was the wrong time. “I…”

Jou’s phone buzzed, then buzzed a lot more times. “Oh shit! Looks like everyone’s lookin’ for me. Heh, Forgot I don’t got service out here.”

“It’s just me and Yuugi. Your sister’s worried about you, though.”

“She’ll be fine. What’s up? I can tell somethin’s up.”

Kaiba thought he had a good speech prepared for this, but looking at Jou, he forgot all of it. Great, he was starting from scratch. “I have to go back.”

“What’d ya mean? Go back… ta the States?”

“Yes.” Kaiba sighed, “Remember how I told you I don’t have any memories from before I woke up?”

“Yeah.”

“Apparently, I have a daughter.”

Jou quirked an eyebrow at him. His expression shifted as he comprehended what Kaiba was saying then smiled. “That’s… that’s great! So why don’t ya sound happy?”

“I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”

“Ahh… got a wife or somethin’?”

Kaiba laughed. Really really laughed. He didn't even think about that. “No.” He cupped the sides of Jou’s face and kissed him, making him smile. “I was just wondering how this could be worse and you found it. No, that’s not it at all.”

“So are ya pickin’ her up from someone?”

He shook his head. “Not quite. That’s not how it works for ex-heroin addicts.”

Jou’s shoulders drooped and he sighed in realization. “Yeah, shit, yeah I know that.” He winced and backed up from him, staring down at his shoes. “So what is this? Ya tryin’ ta say you’re leavin’ forever?”

“Never. It might take me a year or more to get her back. So I can’t work at the shop. I don’t know how long it’s going to be and I don’t want to make you-”

“I’ll wait.”

“Jou-”

He looked directly into his eyes and grinned, “I’ll wait for ya. You’re worth waitin’ for.”

“That’s sappy.”

Jou snickered and took a step closer to him, wrapping his arms around his waist. Kaiba hugged him back, burying his nose in the crook of his neck, breathing him in. Jou sighed through his nose and shifted in his arms. “So when are ya leavin’?”

“In a couple days.” 

“By yourself?”

“No. Yuugi and Red are coming with me.”

“Good. I gotta spy then.”

Kaiba laughed, turning his head to rest on Jou’s. “I wish you could come with me.”

“Yeah, me too. So ya gotta lotta shit ta do before ya go?”

“Aside from packing? No.”

Jou smirked, grabbing his hand and leading him away. “Good. Tell everyone your busy.”

Kaiba snickered, following after him, “Where are we going?”

“Home. You’re stuck with me for the next two days.”

Kaiba playfully groaned, getting the reaction he wanted. Jou laughed, turning back with his adorable crooked grin, and squeezed his hand. Kaiba loved that idea. He didn’t want to go anywhere. He felt like he just got back. Two really good days wouldn't make up for months of being gone, but it was a good start.

\------

A couple days with Jou later, Kaiba sat in the middle isle of the plane with Yuugi and Atem across from him. Yuugi smiled at him after staring out of the window for a while. “Why aren’t you sitting here?”

He didn’t need to answer. Atem was on it, not looking up from a magazine he was reading. “He doesn’t like the view.”

“Since when?”

“Since I died,” Kaiba said.

Yuugi made a loud sound of understanding. Speaking of not liking the view… Kaiba looked up at Atem, crossing his arms over his chest. “So, you never told me about how you woke up?”

Atem shifted uncomfortably in the seat, looking away from the magazine briefly. “No I didn't.”

Yuugi turned in his seat, facing Atem. “You haven’t told me either.”

“I don’t like talking about it.”

Kaiba wasn’t going to press him any further. He understood completely, but Yuugi just offered him a sweet smile and leaned forward to rest his elbows on the armrest between them. “What happened?”

Atem sighed and chewed the inside of his cheek, obviously trying to think of how to get out of it. He closed the magazine, looking up at Yuugi. He chuckled, seeing Yuugi brightly smiling at him and waiting patiently. “I woke up on a river bank with Al sitting in front of me. He didn’t say anything to me when I got up, but started walking away and I got the feeling he wanted me to follow him. So I walked for a really long time until I got to the house. That’s how I found my family.”

“Al… You mean you?”

“Yes.”

“That’s really weird.”

“It was terrifying. He looked dead.” His eyebrows knit together and he looked out the window while he talked. “He was almost green and blue completely soaked in water like I was.” Then he looked back at Yuugi with a half hearted smile. “Imagine my reaction when I looked in the mirror after I got to the house.”

“Oh wow. I’m so sorry.”

Atem smiled at him. “It’s alright now. Al’s moved on so I’ll never see him again.”

“Well that’s good,” Yuugi giggled.

“It is. He left when I got you back.”

“Aww!” Yuugi kissed him, then sat right in his seat.

Kaiba rolled his eyes at them, regretting asking anything.

“Kaiba didn’t react much better from what I heard. I completely understood.”

“So, why were you in the river?” Yuugi asked, resting his head on Atem’s shoulder.

He laid his head on Yuugi’s, smiling. “Apparently Al had depression and decided after his boyfriend broke up with him, to stop taking his depression medicine. It spiralled from there and after a fight with his parents, he walked to the Hardin Bridge and jumped into the river.”

“Did you meet his ex?” Kaiba asked, smirking at him.

“I did. He can go to hell too.”

Kaiba laughed. 

“You both should write a book. I swear if I didn’t know you were telling the truth, I’d think you guys were making up stuff to sound cool.”

“Nothing about any of this is cool,” Kaiba muttered.

“I think having a daughter would be cool,” he said, smiling at him, “And I know you will too when you stop looking at it like you’re taking care of someone else’s kid.”

Kaiba just scoffed at him. What did he know?

“Did you see the pictures of the house we’re renting?” Atem asked.

He shook his head and watched Atem pull his phone out of his pocket and handle it to him. The house was quaint, 4 bedrooms and two bathrooms. It would do for what they needed and looked in better shape than Sylia and Liam’s house did originally. He handed the phone back, nodding. “It’ll work. How did it go talking to Aiko at the Salon?”

“I told her I'm quitting to be a house boyfriend,” -Yuugi nudged him but Atem didn't stop- “Because he makes so much more than me anyway.” He nudged him again, making him laugh, “What? It’s true.”

Yuugi was beet red and shook his head at him. “You didn’t tell her that.”

“I didn’t but it is still absolutely true. When Anzu got me that job, Aiko was looking for a temporary fill in until one of the girls got back on maternity leave, but she loves me so she hired me on full time. Turns out, after I talked to her, she’s allowing me to rent out a space at the salon and have my own business until I can open one like I wanted to. So while I'm gone, she’s renting it for me to someone else until I get back. I should actually be making a little bit while I’m gone.”

“You’re not worried about her screwing you over?”

Atem grinned and pointed at Yuugi. “I don’t need to work. Didn’t you hear that? All I need to do is look pretty.”

Yuugi got even redder and grabbed the magazine to hit him with it, laughing. “Stop.”

“Okay _ partner _ I’ll stop.” He looked at Kaiba and waited for Yuugi to turn away before shrugging. “It’s true though.”

Hours later, they arrived at the airport. Stepping out of the airport doors was just like stepping out of the hospital; assaulted by a wall of stifling heat. After renting a car, Kaiba drove them to the house they rented. It was about a 2 hour drive from the airport to Pitoka, and Yuugi loved every second of it. Kaiba wasn’t really sure why, but for some reason, he got a kick out of the absolute nothingness to look at but corn and random trees. He just kept looking out the window and giggling; saying it was exactly how they’d described and after seeing it, it was even funnier than the first time. Kaiba didn’t find the drive humorous at all. He missed home, missed Jou and was really nervous about getting a little girl he’d never met before. What if she remembered him? He wasn’t like Corbin at all, and after meeting him, he was even more convinced of that. 

He pulled into the driveway and parked the car. They climbed out and Kaiba went to the trunk to get their luggage. Atem was right behind him, but Yuugi had disappeared inside the house. Then he walked out, meeting them in the doorway. “So I got good news and bad news.”

Atem groaned, “What now?”

“It looks exactly like the pictures, I love it, but we don’t have a TV.”

“Are you going to help?” Kaiba spat, ignoring him. What did he care about a television?

Atem laughed and said something to Yuugi in Egyptian. Kaiba just rolled his eyes. “It’s going to be a long year if you guys keep doing that.”

“Just assume he’s saying something you don’t want to hear,” Yuugi said, walking to the car. 

Atem shut the door behind him and carried some suitcases to the hallway. “Looks like Yuugi already picked a room.”

“The biggest one?”

“Actually, no, but it’s the only one with a bathroom attached to it.”

“Fine.”

He walked back to the bedrooms and looked at each one of them. He was right, it was the only one with a bathroom attached to it, but two of the other rooms had a bathroom between them, and on the opposite side of the hall. He figured that would be a good choice for him and Kitty when he got her. His chest tightened bringing the suitcases in the room and setting them on the bed. He sighed in the dark room by himself. He had to be crazy doing this.

\-----

A month, a whole month of calling people, filling out papers, and getting harassed by social workers, he was able to see Kitty for the first time. It should have happened earlier, but someone kept losing papers and dropping the ball. If it weren’t for Nancy insisting right there with him, he didn’t think he’d get to see her at all. At least Nancy was great to work with. She had a great sense of humor, despite having to deal with him and the kids in the background. He had no idea how she could be so cheerful even when she was stressed.

Nancy wasn’t how he envisioned her at all. She was older than them, but not by much. Maybe in her early 30’s. He’d assumed she was Sylia’s age. She had make up on, her blond hair piled on her head in a haphazard bun, and a brand new spill stain on her bright pink tank top. She was petite in every way; short and skinny with bright pink slippers on her feet. When she ushered them inside, she smiled at them and laughed about how she wasn’t allowed to look nice, pointing out the spill stain on her shirt. 

They walked in the side door that she told them to use that lead straight into the kitchen. The kitchen was small, littered with toy cars and dolls everywhere; on the refrigerator, on the counter, in the sink, and on the floor. Just everywhere. And that was the only kitchen. He couldn’t imagine what the rest of the house looked like. She apologized for the mess, but it was unnecessary. He could hear at least three other kids in the other room with Nancy’s husband, and heard them all the time on the phone when he’d talk to her. Unlike Atem’s make-up case that he had plenty of time to clean out, he completely understood her not having a second to devote to hunting down tiny cars and doll clothes. 

Sitting at the white wooden kitchen table, he’d never been more nervous in his life. He kept waiting for someone to burst out laughing and say ‘sorry we thought you were a different guy, you don’t have a kid’, but it never happened. Nancy smiled at them and gestured towards the coffee pot on the counter. “Can I get you some coffee?”

Kaiba and Atem politely declined. Yuugi on the other hand, smiled at her. “I’d love one.”

She made him a mug of coffee and set it on the kitchen table for him. He got a good look at it before Yuugi picked it up. It read; ‘goals today, keep the tiny humans alive’. Kaiba had decided he liked Nancy from all their conversations just to get to this point on the phone and through email, but reading that it was solidified. He loved her sense of humor. She smoothed out her shirt and took a deep breath. “Alright. I’ll go get her.”

She disappeared around the corner and came back with a beautiful little girl who looked almost exactly like a mini Sylia; jet black hair, steel grey eyes and round cheeks. She had her arms crossed over her chest and looked like she’d been crying. Kaiba quirked a brow at her when she came in. Nancy smiled at him and ushered her forward. “Kitty. Are you going to say hello?”

“Hi.”

Kaiba grinned. She was just as indignant as before. “Hi. What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want to talk to you.”

“That’s fair. Do you want me to leave?”

“Yes.”

“Kitty!” Nancy gasped, “You can’t-”

“No, it’s okay.” Kaiba turned in the kitchen chair and leaned forward, making her glance at him out of the corner of her eye. “Why don’t you want to talk to me?”

“You never came to see me.”

“I’m really sorry. I know that doesn’t make everything better, but I would have if I could. I was in the hospital.”

Kitty’s glare relaxed and she blinked at him. “Did you get sick?”

“Sort of. I have amnesia. Do you know what that is?”

“You’re too skinny.”

Kaiba snickered, “No, It means I don’t remember anything.”

“Anything?!”

“Anything. So it took me a while to find you.”

Kitty relaxed, looking at him almost horrified. “So you don’t know how to eat? Or ride a bike or tie your shoes?! I don’t know how to tie my shoes either.”

“We’ll have to figure it out together huh?”

Kitty smiled at him and nodded. “Yeah.”

“How old are you?”

She beamed and held up both hands, her fingers spread out on one and just her pointer finger up on the other. 

“Six. That’s big. How old do you think I am?”

She wrinkled her nose and patted her chin with her pointer finger like she was thinking really hard. “100.”

Kaiba laughed. “Really? 100 is pretty old.”

“Yep. You’re 100.”

“Well you would know more than me.”

“When’s your birthday?” she asked, swaying from side to side.

“I don’t know.”

“Mine’s April 17th. You can have mine if you want.”

“Okay, just until I remember mine.”

“Okay!”

“I see you’re wearing a lot of pink. Do you like pink?”

She wrinkled her nose again and looked up at Nancy. She looked back at him, shaking her head. Then she leaned forward, cupping her hand over her mouth to whisper very loudly, “I hate pink.”

Yuugi burst into laughter, then quickly tried to recover by putting his hands over his mouth. He snickered again, then cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. Yeah pink is just okay, right?”

She stuck her tongue out and shook her whole body like she ate a lemon. “I like green! I have green boots. Want to see?”

“I’d love to see them.”

She dashed out of the room as fast as she could. He sat up and looked at Nancy, who sank into the chair beside him, staring at him in disbelief. “You’re so good with her. Normally she throws a fit.”

“I’m sure that’s coming.”

“She’s got a lot of personality but who could blame her. Poor thing.”

“So what do I need to do now?”

Nancy smiled at him, giving him the impression she was proud of him. “If I were you, I'd talk to a lawyer about getting a petition for reinstatement of your parental rights. I know that normally doesn’t happen, but I think with the turn around you’ve made, it will go through. It’ll take a little longer, but then you can take her back to Japan without much trouble.”

Kaiba nodded as a dash of pink ran back into the room with green cowgirl boots in her hands. She slammed them on the table and spun them around for him to see. “They got sparkles!”

“They do. I love them.”

She beamed with pride and took them off the table. She sat on the floor with them, starting to put them on her feet when Nancy waved at her to stop, shaking her head. “Sweetheart, not in the house.”

“But I want to wear them.”

“We don’t wear shoes in the house.”

“But I want to wear them!”

“Kitty…”

She got up grabbed the boots and stomped away, dramatically saying she JUST wanted to wear them. Nancy sighed. Yuugi had his hands over his mouth, trying not to laugh. “I love her.”

Kaiba turned in his chair to rest his arms on the table. “How often can I visit her until that’s done?”

“Every day. My door is open.” He nodded and she shifted in her chair, picking up her mug of coffee. “So what are you doing now? I heard Liam got a big job in Japan making jets.”

“I’m helping him with that and I was working at a mechanics shop.”

“Wow. Who would have thought?” She picked up her mug and took a sip, then turned to Kaiba again. “Are you still in contact with Kitty’s mom?”

“No.”

She nodded, satisfied with that answer. “Do you really have amnesia?”

“Yes I actually do.”

She leaned over the table, her eyes widening. “So you don’t remember me?”

“No I don’t.”

She started laughing. “That explains everything! The last time we talked, you cussed me out over the phone.”

Kaiba sighed in annoyance, “Yeah I believe that.”

She snickered, shaking her head as she looked down at her mug. “You must hear that alot huh?”

“Yes.”

She laughed and picked up the mug to bring it to her lips. “So, do you have a new girlfriend?”

He didn’t know how to answer that and thought about how to change the subject, but Yuugi and Atem weren’t on the same page with him at all. “He has a boyfriend back in Japan,” Yuugi said, “His name’s Jou.”

“He owns the mechanics shop Corbin works at. It’s known world wide though,” Atem added.

“Really?”

Kaiba gave them a look, then nodded. 

“Wow. Thing’s sure change huh? Kitty loves tinkering on things. She’ll probably love that you do that.”

“Oh good. She can help you fix things then,” Atem said, smirking at him.

“She’ll be more help then you are.”

“Wow that’s harsh,” Yuugi chuckled, “He’s probably right though.”

Atem mockingly glared at Yuugi, making him laugh more. Nancy smiled at them then turned to Kaiba. “She has a lot she’s dealing with. So please be patient with her. Everything’s changed for her and little ones don’t handle it well.”

Kaiba nodded. “I know what it feels like to be thrown into a family you don’t know.”

Nancy smiled at him. “Yeah, I guess you would. Well I should go make sure she’s alright.”

Kaiba pushed back the chair and stood as well; Yuugi and Atem following suit. “I’ll call you when I plan to come by.”

“That would be great.” She hesitated for a moment then held her arms out to hug him. He pushed back the urge to decline it. He needed her to get Kitty whether he liked it or not and apparently he’d known her at some point. So he hugged her back and she beamed at him. “Do you have a lawyer you want to use? I have some recommendations if you don’t.”

“I have a lawyer.”

“Great! I’ll get Kitty so you can say goodbye.”

She disappeared around the corner again and they waited a while for her to come back. Kitty stomped into the room, pouting. “Bye.”

Kaiba knelt down and smiled at her. “I’ll be back soon and you can help me figure out how to tie our shoes.”

She fought the smile growing on her face and nodded, her arms still crossed tightly over her chest. “Okay.”

“I’ll see you soon.”

She looked at him like she was debating on something, then hugged him really quick and ran off. Nancy snickered at her. “See you soon.”

They said their goodbyes and walked out of the house to the car. Pulling out of the driveway, he felt someone staring at him. He ignored it at first, but by the time they got onto the highway, it was bothering him. “What?”

Atem chuckled, still staring at him. “Nothing. Just… You’re really good with kids.”

Yuugi sat up in the back putting both hands on the seats in front of him. “He is! You should’ve seen him at the tournaments with the little kids. It’s adorable. They all loved him.”

“I’ll leave you both here.”

Yuugi snickered and sat back in his seat. The car was quiet for a while until he sighed, “We need to paint her room green.”

“We’re not staying there.”

Atem scoffed, “She’s not like you and wants an empty room with a mattress, Kaiba.”

He glared at him, then frowned at the road. “I know that.”

“So her room needs to be green,” Yuugi said, “I’ll look for stuff for her online.”

“You think we’re going to get her tomorrow?”

“I said online. It takes a while to get stuff.”

“Yeah.”

The car was quiet again, when Atem leaned on the window with his elbow. “Are you alright with all of this?”

“I don’t really have a choice.”

“You always have a choice.”

Kaiba didn’t answer him. He still had no idea how he felt about anything, but he did know one thing. If it was him in her place, he’d want someone to get him and that was why he was doing this. No one got Mokuba and him. He wasn’t going to do that to her. It didn’t really matter what he thought or how he felt. He wasn’t going to do that. 


	15. Chapter 15

A few months of lawyers and court orders, and visits to Nancy’s, his rights were granted back. Lucky for him, he had his lawyers to work on it and Mokuba was more than happy to help with that. Liam and Sylia visited the day he brought her back and quickly became attached to her. When they left they told her they’d see her soon and Kaiba had to explain to her they were moving to Japan when everything was ready. She took that a lot better than he thought she would. He video called Mokuba so he could meet her (after several text threats if he didn’t). Mokuba even made a comment about her looking exactly like Sylia. 

He was nervous to video call Jou to meet her. Especially since the day he planned to do that, Kitty was in the worst mood he’d ever seen her in up to that point. No one could talk to her without her melting down. He called Jou to explain that it was a bad time, but he wasn’t letting him back out of it. Instead he told him to put her on the phone and go outside for a minute. He really didn’t want to do that but he honestly needed a break from her to calm down too. She was getting on his last nerve. When he came back in the room Kitty was much better. They wouldn’t tell him what they talked about, but whatever it was got Kitty to trust Jou, and constantly ask to talk to him while Kaiba was on the phone or on the computer; even if Jou wasn’t there.

After a few weeks, Kitty warmed up to Yuugi and Atem completely, but she still hadn’t warmed up to him at all. So, after a really big tantrum (because putting away shoes was a touchy subject for her), Kaiba was sitting on Kitty’s bed staring at her, curled up and pouting. “What’s wrong?”

“I hate it here.”

“You do?”

“You’re always telling me to do stuff. Just like Mrs. Nancy.”

“That’s what adults do.”

She humphed. 

“We’re just trying to help you out. If your shoes are everywhere you’ll trip and hurt yourself.”

She humphed again.

“Where do you want to be?”

She thought about it for a second. “Home.”

Kaiba sighed, “Me too.”

She looked up at him and then at her room. “My room was yellow.”

“Do you not like the green?”

“I love green.”

“So what’s wrong?”

“It’s not my room.”

He heard that; felt that in every fiber of his being. How many rooms had he felt like that in over the course of his life? And it didn’t stop when he became an adult either. Corbin’s room and the room at this house felt like that too. Sure he visited hundreds of hotels, but this feeling was different than that. He completely understood. Kaiba reached out and picked her up, still curled up and refusing to budge, and sat her beside him. “I miss my room too. It was blue.”

“Blue is pretty.”

“Thank you.” He felt her relax beside him and swing her feet over the edge of the bed. 

“When are we going home?”

“2 months.”

“How long is that?”

“About 60 days.”

“That’s so long!” Then she threw herself back, pouting again.

He snickered, watching her, “I agree.”

“Why can’t we go now?”

“I have to make sure everything is okay before we go. Adult stuff.”

“Adult stuff sounds fun.”

“It’s really boring.”

She sat up again and kicked her feet for a while. “Grandma didn’t want me to talk to you. She said you were mean.”

Kaiba grit his teeth. Kitty talked about Lindsey’s parents a lot, constantly bringing up how different things were that he did and what they did. It sounded to him like they let her tear apart everything she wanted, but he also knew kids tend to exaggerate to get their way. So he never paid a lot of attention to it. This was a little different. He completely believed she said that. “I think your grandma thought I was someone else.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “I think so too. You’re not mean.” Then she wrinkled her nose. “Maybe she was talking about the shoes.”

Kaiba laughed, despite trying to keep a straight face. “You have to pick them up you’ll hurt someone.”

Kitty wasn’t buying it, but didn’t argue with him. Instead she looked back down at her feet. “Grandpa told me you didn’t want me.”

Kaiba just blinked at her. She was 6. Why the hell were they talking to her about that? It wasn’t true either. Corbin might be a complete idiot, but it sounded like they actually did try to get her. He laid his arm on her lap and pointed to his cuff. “Do you know what that says?”

She took her time, sounding it out and reading it out loud until she got it. “‘In times of test, family is best’. What’s that mean?”

“It means we’re family and we stick together. No matter what. I do want you here. I wouldn't have flown across the world to get you if I didn’t.”

Kitty looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. “Across the world?”

“I told you, Japan’s far away.”

“How far?”

Kaiba pulled out his phone and brought up a map to show her what he meant. She ooed and awed at it. “Wow that’s so far!”

“It is.” He watched her looking at the map with wonder and took a deep breath. “Kitty, if you don’t like the room, or you just feel bad, you can talk to me and we’ll fix it together, okay?”

Kitty stood up on the bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Okay, daddy.”

Kaiba hugged her back smiling despite himself. That was the first time she called him that. He thought it would feel strange and it did. Kitty didn’t remember much of Corbin. That was clear from everything she said and did with him. Kitty asked him if he remembered her once just after Sylia and Liam left. When he said he didn’t, she said she didn’t remember either. She spent a lot of time with her grandparents and they talked about her mom a lot. He hated Kitty talking about her mom. It wasn’t long talks, just short questions she’d ask. Questions he couldn't answer if he wanted to. Apparently her grandparents painted her mother in a beautiful light while making him look like the bad guy. The truth wasn’t much better though; they were both the bad guys. Kitty held on to a lot of that. Until right now, it seemed. This was the first time she genuinely hugged him too. 

“I was promised tea an hour ago,” Atem said from the doorway. 

Kitty jumped back and put her hands on her face, gasping in shock. “Oh no! I forgot!”

She jumped off the bed and dashed out of the room, weaving around Atem. He snickered at her and looked up. “We’re almost done with dinner.”

Kaiba got up from the bed, still smiling and walked out of the room.

\------

A month after that, Kaiba couldn't imagine her not being in the house. Kitty really took to everything after that night. She was friendlier and happier and more herself. Still refused to put shoes away but she didn’t hate life because he asked her to anymore. She was bright and playful and loud. Very loud, but it didn’t bother him as much as he thought that would. She took it upon herself to show him how to do everything since he told her he didn’t remember, and every time she did, he’d stop what he was doing so she could show him. It quickly turned into something he loved her doing. Even if it was inconvenient most times. Her bright smile and ‘I know what I’m doing’ attitude made him laugh every time. 

Kaiba sat on the sofa with his laptop, trying to work on what Mokuba asked him to, but it was really difficult with Atem and Kitty sitting on the floor across from him. Not because they were loud or doing anything annoying, but because they kept drawing his attention to them. Kitty managed to finally talk Atem into doing her makeup. He wasn’t sure why he refused all the way up to now, but she worked him down to finally agreeing. Yuugi sat in the oversized chair on the other side of the living room, watching him too with a coffee mug in his hands. 

“Close your eyes.”

“Mmmmm!” She closed her eyes and leaned dramatically forward almost running into him.

He laughed and moved her to sit where he wanted to and started to put makeup on her face. She giggled and laughed, twitched and did everything she wasn’t supposed to, making him move her again. He maybe had two specks of makeup on her face before she pulled away. “I want to do it!”

“Want me to show you how?”

“Yes!”

Atem got up and went back to his room. Kaiba returned his attention to work, listening to them talking about favorite makeup colors and the importance of glitter, until Kitty gasped, “Boys can’t wear makeup!”

“Yes they can.”

“No they can’t. Grandma said so. It’s just for girls.”

“I’m a boy and I wear it all the time,” Atem said to her smiling, “See.”

Kaiba looked up to see Kitty staring at him with conflicting feelings about what Atem was doing. Then said, so matter of factly Kaiba and Yuugi started laughing, “Okay. I guess  _ you _ can wear it but no other boys.”

Atem tried to keep a straight face but it wasn’t working out at all. “If that is what my princess, wishes.”

She gave him a smug grin (which Yuugi swore up and down she learned from him), and shifted back to look in the mirror and put more makeup on. “I’m a princess!”

“Your highness is missing a crown.” 

“Oh yeah!” She bolted out of the room.

Atem started putting everything back when Kitty dramatically groaned from her room. “I can’t find it!” 

She walked back into the living room and pouted but Atem didn’t look up at her. Instead he snickered and gestered back down the hallway. “It’s in the drawer under my bed, where you always insist on keeping them.”

She made a face and started to go back down the hall. Yuugi quickly grabbed her, setting the mug on the coffee table and spilling a little of it. “Woah there! Hang on, Kitty. I’ll help you look for them.”

“But Red said-”

“They’re not under there anymore. I moved them.” He winked at her and lead her back into her room.

Atem just sat on the floor, unmoving, staring after them. Then he sat up. Kaiba didn’t think anything of it at first, but when he glanced up from his laptop at Atem, he realized something had happened. He looked absolutely devastated, staring down the hallway. Then it all clicked; why he refused to do Kitty’s make up and why Yuugi got up so fast when he said the crown was under his bed. He wasn't talking to Kitty, he was talking to his memory of Sarah. Kaiba shut his laptop and stood from the sofa, walking around the coffee table to sit down on it. “Are you okay?”

“I don’t know… I don’t know why I said that. I know they aren’t there.”

“If her being here is-”

Atem sharply glared at him. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

“I just think you need a break.”

“To do what?”

“I don’t know. Go out to eat with Yuugi. We’ll be fine.”

“That’s not going to help.” He looked back down the hallway and sighed. “I just miss her. Kitty reminds me of Sarah.”

“I know, but she’s not going anywhere. You had things you wanted to do while you were here. Go do them. She’ll understand and she’ll be here when you get back.”

Atem didn’t say anything, instead he picked up the rest of the make up Kitty threw everywhere on the floor. When he finished, he shifted, staring down at the box Kaiba had made for him, chewing his bottom lip. Then he looked up at him. “I think you might be right.”

Kaiba tisked and stood up from the table to go get Kitty, but they were already headed back in the room by the time he passed the oversized chair. Kitty had her crown on and changed dresses, arms out at her sides, flaring her dress. “Look daddy!”

Kaiba smiled at her and picked her up. “You look beautiful. Say goodbye to Yuugi and Red. They are going out.”

“We are?”

Atem murmured, standing up, “Yes we are.”

“Bye bye!” Kitty waved and wrapped her arms around his neck. “What are we doing?”

“We’re making dinner. Mac ‘n cheese?”

“Yay!”

“Are you making it?” he teased, smirking at her, “I don’t remember how to cook.” 

“Ugh! Why do I have to do everything?” Kitty groaned and flopped around in his arms making him laugh. 

Atem looked at Kitty frowning, then at him, “Are you sure?”

Kaiba turned away from him to take Kitty into the kitchen. “Yuugi, deal with your boyfriend.”

“On it!” 

He heard some murmuring then the front door close, so he sat Kitty down on a step stool by the stove. Then Yuugi walked in. “Hey Kitty, come here.”

Kitty jumped down to run over to him as he knelt down smiling at her. “We’re going to visit Red’s little sister. I thought she’d like a crown because she doesn’t have any. What kind do you think would be good?”

She patted her chin with her pointer finger, humming, then her face lit up like she discovered the wheel. “She needs a pretty red one! With Ariel on it!”

“Ariel, huh?” Yuugi giggled as she dramatically nodded. 

“I have a red one with Ariel on it!” she shouted, bolting out of the room. 

When he stood up, Kaiba frowned at him, but Yuugi started talking before he did. “Thank you for convincing him to get out of the house. I’ve been trying for a week. I found where Sarah’s buried and wanted to surprise him, but he kept insisting on staying here.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

Yuugi confidently nodded. “It helped me that I could go see Grandpa, I think it will help him to see her.”

Kaiba watched as Kitty ran back into the room with a red Ariel crown in her hand held high above her head. “Tell her it’s from me!”

“I sure will!” He reached down and picked her up, hugging her. “Thank you, Kitty. You’re the best.”

“I know,” she sighed, like it was the most natural thing to say. 

She giggled and squirmed until he set her down. Yuugi glanced up at Kaiba, smiling, then disappeared around the corner. He turned away from the empty doorway to look at the stove. Yuugi knew what he was doing. Kitty walked back over to the stove, jumping up on the stool. “What do I do?”

He grabbed the box from the counter and handed it to her, smirking at the reaction from her he knew he’d get. After that, he needed a good laugh. “Make it.”

“I don’t know how!”

“Read the instructions.” He pointed to the side of the box still smirking at her as she threw her arms to her sides, shaking the box on her hip. 

“It’s too hard! I can’t do it!”

He snickered at her and grabbed a pot. “Yes you can. You’ve cooked spaghetti with Yuugi. I’m sure you can make Mac ‘n Cheese.”

“Yuugi made it. I just helped put in the noodles and read the box.”

“So read me the box and put in the noodles.”

“Okay!” 

He had the water boiling on the stove when his phone went off. He handed it to Kitty, who was almost more adept with it than he was. She answered it and bounced on the step stool. “Grandma Sylia!”

“Oh sweet pea! I was hoping you were there! How are you my beautiful girl?”

“I’m making Mac ‘n Cheese with daddy.”

“Wow. What a big girl!”

Kitty beamed with pride and set the phone down. Kaiba hit the speaker button so she could keep talking (since Kitty thought it just miraculously happened every time). “When are you coming back to see me?” Kitty asked, looking down at the box.

“If I’m lucky, sweet pea, you’ll be coming home before that.”

“Home?”

“Yes. Once your dad gets things ready, you’re coming to live here with us.”

Kitty wrinkled her nose like she hated the sound of that. Kaiba wasn’t really sure what to say when she muttered, “With you and Grandpa Liam?”

“Yep yep! And your dad and Red, and Yuugi and your uncle Mokuba, and everyone else and we’re so excited to see your beautiful smiling face!”

“Wow I gotta big family!”

“You do sweet pea. You have a huge family and do you know what?”

“What?”

“We all love you even bigger than that!”

Kitty giggled. 

“I can’t wait to see you Kitty,” Sylia said, making Kitty continue to smile and giggle. “Grandpa told me to tell you he can’t wait too.”

“Where is he?” Kaiba asked, interrupting their conversation.

“He’s almost done with the engine. Almost.”

“It’s been months… How isn’t he done?”

“Well, I’m surprised Mokuba didn’t tell you.”

“He’s been too busy doing what you just did with Kitty.”

Kitty giggled. “Uncle Mokuba showed me a princess game!”

Sylia started laughing so hard she wasn’t answering Kitty anymore. But Kitty wasn’t paying attention, and continued to describe the game in great detail. Eventually Sylia stopped laughing and hummed. “That sounds like a great game. Can I talk to your dad for a second?”

“Okay!”

Kaiba picked up the phone, taking it off speaker, and pointed towards the pot for Kitty to pour in the noodles. “So what's going on?”

“The engine blew up.”

“What?!”

“Yep. Liam is okay but the lab was destroyed. They had to move the whole thing. It’s a good thing Liam insisted on separating it from the main jet or it could have killed someone.”

“Why did that happen?”

“Liam suspects, as does Mokuba, that the ‘additions’ were done to get it to fail. So Mokuba is reworking his engineering team… again.”

“He needs to stop this. He’s going to get himself killed.”

“I told both of them that but now they’re giddily working on it. It’s like kids at Christmas, I’m telling you.”

“Why is Liam excited about that?”

“He’s building the whole thing. It’s been his dream since you were 8. Apparently the threat of death just makes it that much more exciting. I’ll never understand men sometimes.”

Kaiba smiled and leaned back against the counter, watching Kitty dance around. “Mokuba and Liam know what they’re doing.”

“They do. They do. So how’s Red and Yuugi?”

“They’re out on a date.”

“So you kicked them out of the house?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“I can tell. Needed alone time with Kitty?”

“More like Red needed time out of the house.”

“Ahh. Have you talked to Jou?”

“Ha!” He spat bitterly, smirking at Kitty. “Yes and no. Yes I call him all the time, no only Kitty gets to talk to him.”

“You gotta love her!” Sylia laughed. “I just wanted to make sure you’re both doing good. I think he’s lonely. He’s been at the bar a lot.”

“How would you know that?”

“Are you kidding me? I live there.” She laughed. “I forgot what it’s like having a full house until you came home. And now that you, Red and Yuugi are gone, it seems like I forgot what it’s like to have it empty. It’s going to take some getting used to again.” 

“It shouldn’t be much longer until I get Kitty’s passport in the mail. Then we can leave.” 

“Should I make up a room for her or are you guys getting your own place?”

“Haven’t decided yet.”

“I think you should get your own place. It was too crowded here for you.”

That was true and they both knew it. Kaiba smirked, resting the phone on his shoulder so he could use his hand to stir. “Are you kicking me out?”

Sylia mockingly gasped, “I would never! I’d love to have my granddaughter there all day every day, but I also know from experience, that’s not as fun as it sounds.”

“What experience?”

“When you were a baby, we had to live with Liam’s parents for a while until he could find a job. Those two years were hell, but they helped us out so much. I mean, we’re way cooler than Liam’s parents but-”

“I’ll look into it more then.”

“You should! Not that you can’t come back. Like I said, I’d  _ love _ it, but I know you won’t,” she snickered, “I’d better let you go so you can finish making dinner.”

“Alright.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow, honey.”

“Talk to you tomorrow.” He handed Kitty the phone again, and turned the stove off.

She said her goodbyes to Sylia while he drained the noodles, and set the phone back down on the counter. “What’s next?”

“You have to read it. I don’t know.” 

Kitty read the instructions and raced off to the fridge to get some butter and milk. He watched her, thinking about how he did like it just being him and Kitty. It was great having Atem and Yuugi’s help. He didn’t know what he would have done if they weren't there. But this was nice, just cooking together without anyone else. If Jou were there with them, it would be perfect. He smiled to himself as Kitty almost spilled the milk everywhere, putting it up on the counter. If Jou were there, it  _ would _ be everywhere. He’d look up places when they finished eating.

\-----

  
  


Kaiba walked through the aisle in the grocery store with Kitty by his side, a list in her hands. He kept smiling down at her, remembering Mokuba doing something like this when they were younger, but it wasn’t to go shopping. It was going through ideas of things they wanted to do for the company; projects and impossible games they wanted to make. The store was small and dirty just like everything else in the town, but it felt homey. He remembered going to it with Atem and Sylia; walking around and grabbing things, running into people they knew and getting stuck there for hours. Without Sylia there, he hoped that wouldn’t happen again.

Kitty wrinkled her nose and read from the list, “Eggs.”

“We already grabbed those.”

“Cheese.”

He lifted the basket showing her they’d already gotten that too.

“Ummmmmmm Chocolate!”

“That’s not on the list.”

“Yes it is! Right here.” She pointed to a word on it; clearly crackers and not chocolate.

“Crackers?”

She frowned at the list. “Oh… how do you spell chocolate?”

“C-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e,” he said, grabbing crackers from off the shelf, when he looked down and saw her writing on the list. “What are you doing?”

She lifted it up and had the word chocolate written over the entirety of the list in such big letters she had to stack them in a weird way to get it all on the paper. “See it’s on there.”

Kaiba started laughing. “Okay Kitty. If it’s on the list.”

She gave him a smug grin, standing up a little taller. Yuugi was absolutely right. That was all him and he couldn’t be prouder. He needed a picture of that.

“Did you get the garlic powder?” Yuugi asked, pulling their attention over to him at the end of the aisle. “Oh yes you did. I see it. Never mind.”

Yuugi walked away, disappearing down the split between the aisles, when Kaiba noticed someone familiar standing with his back to him, and a little bit behind where Yuugi stood. Kaiba tilted his head to the side, frowning, but he couldn’t remember why he looked familiar. Kitty pulled on his hand, making him look away. “Daddy? We have to get the chocolate now or you’ll forget.”

He smirked at her. Not only was she conning her way into chocolate, but she was conning her way into getting it faster. “Okay. Well go get it.”

“I don’t know where it is.”

“I don’t either. Guess we aren’t getting any.”

Kitty’s whole face scrunched up like he’d said the most mean and awful thing she could think of. “That’s not fair!”

Kaiba snickered at her and shook his head. “You could read the signs.”

She stopped mid cry to look up. They were already in the aisle with the chocolate, it was just down at the other end. “There it is!”

She lead him down the aisle, and subsequently, towards the guy who looked familiar. He didn’t think anything of that being a bad plan, until the guy turned around. He stopped Kitty, pulling back on her hand to keep her from walking any closer. She did not like that at all, and started to complain when Danny scoffed, “Corbin. I thought you were gone.”

Why him of all people? It wasn’t like he could just turn around and walk out or tell him to go to hell. Kitty was there. Dammit! “Had to come back.”

“Where’s your  _ boyfriend _ ?”

Kaiba knew he was talking about Atem, but Kitty didn’t. “He’s in Japan!”

Yuugi popped out from around the corner again. “Look what I found, Kitty.”

She gasped and ran over to Yuugi with a stuffed cat in his hands as he knelt down to hand it to her. Kaiba started walking over there too, happy to have a reason to get out of dealing with him, when Danny grabbed his arm. “I’m not done talking to you.”

“I don’t care,” Kaiba said, yanking his arm out of Danny’s grip, “We have nothing to talk about.”

“Your  _ boyfriend _ stole money from me. So yeah, we do.”

Kaiba just stared at him. He had to be joking. There was no way he could possibly think that was going to work. He had a list of things to retort to that, all things Kitty shouldn’t hear, so he didn’t say them. He saw Yuugi pick up Kitty out of the corner of his eye. “Corbin, what is he talking about?”

“Yuugi. This is Danny.”

“You’re joking.”

“I wish I was.” Kaiba turned back to glare at Danny. “No one stole money from you. If you lost it, that’s your own problem. Not mine.” 

“I’ve filed a police report. He’s in deep shit if he ever comes back here.”

“Great. Thanks for the warning.” Kaiba started to walk away when Atem walked out of one of the aisles.  _ WHY?! _

Atem took in the situation and looked over at Yuugi. “I think you should take Kitty to the car.”

Everything happened so fast after that, Kaiba hardly registered it all. Danny walked around him, headed straight for Atem. Yuugi set Kitty down and moved too, but Kaiba’s focus was on her. He dropped the basket down at his side and scooped her up. She squirmed in protest but he was determined to walk as fast as he could away from all of that. When they walked out the store doors, Kitty whined, “We didn’t get chocolate!”

“We have to go to a different store.”

“What about the basket?”

“Yuugi and Red are getting it.”

“Oh! They’ll get me chocolate.” She instantly stopped squirming, positive they’d get it for her. He would’ve laughed it he wasn’t worried about Yuugi and Atem. 

He walked to the car, got her inside and buckled her in before getting in too. He looked up at the front doors, expecting one of two things, cop cars or someone to walk out. So when it took a while, he was getting more concerned. Then a cop car pulled up. Well that’s just great. 

“What’s wrong daddy?”

“Your uncles give me ulcers. All of them.”

She giggled in the back seat, making him smile. “What is that?”

“It’s a stomach ache.”

“I get ulcers sometimes.”

Kaiba laughed. “No I mean, it’s like a cut you get in your stomach.”

“Ew!”

“You asked.”

She kicked her feet and looked at the store. “Are they done yet? I’m hungry.”

Kaiba watched as one of the police officers who drove up walked back out of the grocery store with Yuugi and Atem behind him. He was talking to them about something. They didn't appear cuffed or anything like that, but what did he know? She looked up at them with a big toothy grin. “I see them!”

“Great,” Kaiba said, rubbing his temple. “What are they doing?”

“Walking to the car.”

“Good.”

A few moments later and the doors opened. Kaiba watched Atem sit down in the passenger seat, grinning ear to ear with so much pride he snorted. “What happened?”

“I took care of it,” Yuugi said nonchalantly, from behind Atem.

He looked between them and shook his head. He didn’t want to know. “Did you buy anything?”

“No. I don’t think we’re allowed back here either,” he said, smiling sheepishly. “Worth it though.”

“Definitely worth it,” Atem said, twisting in his seat as Yuugi leaned forward to kiss him, “Thank you.”

Kaiba groaned and started the car. “Any stores we can go to that this won't happen in?”

“Yes,” Atem snickered, sitting back in his seat, “but they’re an hour away.” 

“I’ll drive an hour.” 

He laughed, but Kaiba was serious.

\-----

Kaiba just finished putting Kitty to bed after a long day. Today was her birthday and he finally felt like he could relax as he set her bedroom door ajar. When he walked back into the living room, he took a deep breath of the breeze that wafted through the house. The weather was beautiful mid April, in one freak day, tomorrow they were supposed to get snow. Since it was so nice outside, they had all the windows open. Kitty had little requests for her birthday. She wanted cake, ice cream, balloons, and much to Yuugi’s delight, his spaghetti. So that’s what they did. It left the house a mess, but Kitty seemed like she had the best day ever and that was the main thing. Yuugi and Atem sat outside, watching the sunset, when Kaiba decided to clean up the dishes from dinner. Even from the kitchen he could clearly hear them talking.

“I’m sorry about your salon,” Yuugi said.

“Don’t be. It wasn’t mine anyway.”

“Yeah but it still sucks to see that he drove it into the ground like that.”

“I’m just happy I didn’t drive it into the ground,” Atem laughed, and it sounded genuine.

“I’m really proud of you.”

“For what? Keeping it open? I’m proud of that too.” 

Yuugi laughed with him, then sighed, “No. I mean, yes. I see what you are talking about now, but I mean just everything. I can’t believe you did all the things you did here.”

“I didn’t really do anything. Everything I tried to do never worked out.”

“You’re wrong though. Courtney and Liz were so happy to see you the other day. You made friends here and made a life for yourself. I don’t know if I could do what you did. I’d be lost.” 

Kaiba stopped putting dishes in the dishwasher for a moment to listen to what Atem would say to that. Yuugi had a point. 

“I had to get home somehow. It was all I could do.” Kaiba didn’t hear anything more for a while, and grabbed another dish when Atem started talking again. “I was lost, all the time, but I know you could do this. You can do so much more than you think you can.”

“Maybe. I’m pretty determined to be with you.” Yuugi giggled, making Atem laugh. “But you didn’t fail at anything.”

“I failed at everything.”

“You keep saying that but I don't see it. You went to school, you got a job, you had an apartment, you opened your own business, you helped people out when they needed help even when you needed it, probably more. It sounds to me like everyone failed _ you _ . Some of them tried and some of them didn’t, but you succeed in everything you did. If I didn’t have everyone, I’d probably feel like I was failing at everything too. It’s still just not true.”

“Yuugi, the only thing I wanted was to go home.  _ I _ never did that. Kaiba did.”

Yuugi snickered, “Yeah, but even when you were back I wasn’t trying to help you either.”

“That’s not your fault.”

“It’s not yours either.”

“It is. If I was back earlier, it would’ve been different.”

“Atem, if Kaiba never got here, and it took you, I don’t know, ten more years to get back, I’d still be waiting for you. The only difference between you being back when you said you would be and ten years after, is you worrying. If you told me in the game shop when you wanted to get my deck that you were you, I would've believed you.”

“I don’t see how you can say that.”

“You’re still you. I love so much more about you than who you were when you were with me. I've changed and you still love me right?" Kaiba didn't hear Atem say anything so he assumed he nodded, then Yuugi continued, "You still do things like you did before. Like your ‘I’ve got this’ smirk when you’re doing something challenging.” Atem laughed, making Yuugi snicker, “What? It’s true and I love it! And I really love all the little things you’ve picked up being here too. You did so much! I’m so proud of you! And it wouldn’t matter when you got home, or what happened to you along the way, I’m going to love you no matter what.”

Kaiba finished cleaning and leaned against the counter. They started talking about the corn fields and the house, about whether they wanted to live there later or not, but he wasn’t really listening anymore. Would Jou feel that way if he came back and told him who he was? After everything that happened since he got back, he felt that the answer was yes. He would. He might be pissed off for a while and not talk to him, like he did after their anniversary years go, but still. He would feel that way. 

He pushed off the counter and walked back to his bedroom, glancing in Kitty’s to make sure she was asleep; out like a light. When he got into his room, he closed the door behind him and made his way to the bed. Laying down on it, he tried to decide if he should bother telling Jou anymore. He felt like he’d waited too long, but keeping it from him was starting to bother him, like he was lying. Jou deserved to know, but he also felt he deserved better. What he was now, was better. But if Yuugi was right, then it wouldn’t matter either way. It was still him. He sighed and rolled over, switching off the lamp beside the bed. Luckily for him, he had plenty of time to think about it before they got back.

\------

A week before they were to come back to Japan, he laid on his bed, staring at the alarm clock next to it. Jou was supposed to video call him an hour ago. He wasn’t answering his texts and he wasn’t online. The longer he waited, the angrier and more anxious he got. Eventually he got a text message. 

‘You’re not going to believe this but the shop got robbed’

‘When?’

‘Last night sometime idk I’m all done and back now’

He set his phone off to the side and grabbed his laptop from off the floor. It showed he was online and before he could touch a single key Jou’d sent him the video call invitation. When it switched over, he frowned at how tired Jou looked. “Are you okay?”

He scoffed, grinning at him, but not in any way happy. “I’m livin’. My boyfriend ‘n best friend are in a different country, my shop got robbed, sis’s bar got trashed, Mokuba’s trying ta get his ass killed, Ryou broke up with Honda ‘n moved back ta London, Anzu ain’t said a damn word ta any of us since she left, even Otogi who’s back ta being himself, I guess. It’s goin’ great!” 

“It’s like none of you can function if I’m not there.”

Jou snickered and nodded his head, “I’m sure as hell not.”

Kaiba smiled at that. 

“The only good thing goin’ on is your mom's my bar buddy.” 

Kaiba shook his head. “She told me that.”

“So,” he sighed, shifting on the bed, “how’s it goin’ over there? Heard Yuug' laid that guy out at the store.”

“Is that what happened? They didn’t tell me.”

Jou laughed. “Yeah, Yuug' said that guy tried ta hit Red so he got in between ‘em, argued with him. Then he tried ta hit Yuug’, so he got him good. Said the cop was impressed. Apparently that guy’s causin’ all kinds ‘o trouble since the salon went under.”

“I’m not surprised.” 

“How’s Kitty cat?”

“She’s doing better than I thought she would. I thought she’d hate me.”

Jou laughed resting his head on his arm. “Nah, she don’t hate ya, that's obvious. She’s mad though.”

“She has every right to be.”

Jou nodded. “I felt like that when sis ‘n I were in it. Just pissed off at everyone ‘n everythin’. Came back mad. I was mad for years.”

“What changed that?”

“Dad got sober, ‘n after a year or two of bein’ pissed at him, I saw he was tryin’. Sis ‘n I are real proud of him.”

“I know.”

Kaiba remembered talking to Jou about this when they dated before. He said the same thing, nothing more, nothing less, and Kaiba wondered if it was something he’d never hear more about. Jou stared at him for a little bit, leaning his head on his right hand. “It’s why I’m proud of ya for doin’ this too, ya know? It’s fuckin’ hard, ‘n it’s really fuckin’ hard when ya don’t know what you’re doin’ or why. Just know ya gotta. Dad still talks ‘bout how hard it is ‘n he’s turned everythin’ around. Ya should be proud. She’ll never forget that.”

“I hope so.”

“Man I love her, though. She’s got your attitude.”

Kaiba scoffed, smiling at him. “She likes you too. When Danny ran into us at the store, he said something about ‘where my boyfriend was’ and she enthusiastically volunteered that you were in Japan.”

Jou burst into laughter. 

“I need to work with her on talking to random strangers.”

Jou collected himself and looked back at him. “Yeah, but that was awesome!”

“It was.”

“So when ya coming home?”

“I actually wanted to talk to you about that.” Kaiba paused, just to take a breath, when Jou flopped on the bed and out of the camera range. “Katsuya?”

“Go on.”

“It’s not bad. Why do you keep thinking it’s bad?”

His blond hair swished into the screen, showing the top part of his face, glaring at him. “‘Cause ya use words like ‘I need ta talk ta ya.’ Or ‘so ‘bout that’. Do ya even know what that means? It means I’m about ta tell ya some really bad shit.”

“No it doesn’t. It means I need to talk to you.”

“Maybe for  _ you _ but the rest of the world it don’t.”

Kaiba laughed at him, shaking his head. He was so dramatic. “I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to move in... with me… when I get back.” As he was saying it, he realized that wasn’t a good idea. They just started dating for two days before he left again. He was just so wrapped up in trying to figure out where to go next, he forgot about where he was there; instead of where he was here. Jou moved back into the camera fully and frowned at him. “Are ya serious?”

“Well… yes.”

Jou gave him a fond smile, almost condescendingly fond, and it made him frown. He remembered that smile. That meant even Jou thought what he’d said was stupid. Great… 

“So ya wanna come back here, move in with me with Kitty, ‘n what?”

“Be with you.”

Jou just stared at him for a long time. Then sighed and shuffled his hair, looking down at the bed. He looked back up. “Ya got company.”

Kaiba turned and saw Kitty standing in his doorway rubbing her eyes. “Why are you out of bed?” She mumbled something but he didn’t understand a word of it. “Come here.”

She wobbled over to him and climbed upon the bed, snuggling into his side. Then she saw Jou and woke up a little more. “Jou!”

“Hey Kitty cat, what’re ya up for?”

“I had a bad dream.”

“Man that sucks! What’s it ‘bout?”

“A little black ghost was chasing me.”

Jou was trying not to laugh, and sound concerned but it wasn’t working for him at all. “Sounds scary.”

“It was!” She pouted and snuggled closer. 

Kaiba grinned at Jou then smirked down at Kitty. “What do you think about Jou living with us?”

Jou’s eyes widened and he choked on his own breath. 

“Really?!” Kitty’s eyes sparkled in the laptop light, making him snicker. 

“It’s up to Jou, but maybe.”

“You should live with us too Jou! Red and Yuugi make really good spaghetti!”

“No. It’d just be me, you, and Jou.”

Kitty frowned and looked like she was thinking about it then turned to look at Jou. “Like a real family?”

Even with the lighting from the lamps in Jou’s room, he could see him blushing. “Exactly.”

She beamed at Jou and scooted closer to the laptop. “So are you moving in with us? Daddy showed me the house. You’ll love it!”

Jou stumbled over his words before shaking his head and laughing. “Usin’ Kitty as leverage should be illegal.”

“You can still say no.”

Jou scoffed at him and looked at Kitty. He shook his head again before grinning. “Yeah fuck it. Why not?”

“Yay!” Kitty bounced on the bed.

“Mokuba should have the key if you want to go over there before we get back.”

Jou just nodded, watching Kitty celebrating on the bed. 

Kaiba turned to her and kissed her head. “You better get back to sleep. We have a lot of packing to do.”

“Okay. Nighty night Jou!” She moved forward and kissed the laptop screen then jumped off the bed, bounding to her room.

Jou shook his head at him again, still grinning. “I hate ya.”

Without missing a beat, Kaiba responded like he used to before. Like he always did before. “I love you too, pup.”

Jou’s grin disappeared. It took a second for Kaiba to register what had happened, but it was too late to take it back. The next thing he knew the video call ended. He spent the rest of the night, until the sun rose, debating on calling him, apologizing, explaining himself, but he couldn’t. 


	16. Chapter 16

Jou didn’t talk to him again after that. Even when Yuugi tried calling him, he ignored all of their calls and texts. Mokuba didn’t know where he was and Sylia said Shizuka was worried. He didn’t know what to do. He wasn’t there to hunt him down. Why everyone else couldn’t just find him, made zero sense and pissed him off. It felt like he was the only one who ever could, even before they started dating. Not that he minded before. Aside from it being a mild inconvenience, he always found him, somewhat fast, and finding him gave him a rewarding feeling he couldn’t describe further than that. The problem wasn’t the lack of getting that feeling, the problem was Jou could be a bastard if he wanted to be and a week gave him WAY to much time to not only be a bastard, but an idiot. 

Regardless of all that, he still had to wait. He had to wait a week and a 17 hour flight before he could do anything, and it was excruciating. Everytime Kitty would talk to Yuugi or Atem about how excited she was to see everyone, to live with Jou, he felt like he was going to throw up. How was he supposed to explain this to her? 

They walked through the airport to get their luggage about dinner time. It was a lot busier than he expected. The smell of food from the restaurants made him remember how hungry he was, but he didn’t have time for that. Mokuba met them at the baggage claim with Liam and Sylia.

Kitty ran to them and jumped into Sylia’s arms. “Grandma Sylia!”

“Oh sweet pea! I’m so happy you’re home!”

Liam kissed the top of her head and hugged them both, then walked over to Kaiba. He patted him on the shoulder, giving him a sympathetic smile. “I’m glad you’re back, son.” 

Kaiba nodded, and glanced at him walking around him to give Atem and Yuugi a hug too. Sylia sat Kitty down, to give them all hugs as well. Kitty raced over to Mokuba, jumping on him. He picked her up and put her on his shoulders, making her squeal in delight. “Which bag is yours?”

“The green one.”

“I should’ve known. You and your green.”

“I love green!”

Syila snickered at them, then turned her attention to Kaiba. “If it’s okay with you, honey, I’d like to take Kitty with us back home and have a fun day with her.” 

Kaiba nodded, still too anxious to say anything. 

She kissed his cheek, giving him a sympathetic smile, just like Liam, before walking away. After she hugged Yuugi and Atem, she looked up at Kitty. “Do you want to get your nails done with me, sweetpea?”

Kitty’s whole face lit up; her eyes wide and mouth open in a big gasp, “Yes!”

Mokuba snickered, tilting his head to look up at her. “I’m kidnapping you next!” Kitty just giggled as he took her off his shoulders, handing her to Liam. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Okay!” She leaned over and kissed his cheek then held on to Liam’s neck.

Kaiba watched them take her away, waving back at him until they were out of sight. Yuugi took a deep breath, pulling his attention to them, and squeezed Atem’s hand. “So, do you think he’s home?”

“No, I don’t. I’ll be surprised if his things are even there.”

Kaiba glared at them, but Atem was probably right. If he was as upset as he imagined he would be, he’d be gone. Mokuba nodded. “Yeah he’s not there. I checked. He has himself put on for vacation at the shop so he’s not expected there for at least 2 more weeks and Shizuka can’t find him anywhere.”

Kaiba walked around Mokuba and picked up his bag. “How’s the bar?”

“I got it back together,” Mokuba said, picking up Kitties bags, ”Whoever did that, was trying to send a message to me. It was my things that were broken.”

“Someone who knew the bar?”

“Someone who knows me.”

Kaiba locked his jaw. Someone who knows Jou too. “Are you closing it?”

He laughed. “I can’t get her to do anything. I’ve tried.”

“You really have,” said Yuugi, walking over to the luggage.

Kaiba glared at the suitcases in his hands. “Let’s get all this junk to the house. Then I’ll go out and see if I can find him.”

“We’re going to go back to the apartment and see if he comes back there,” Yuugi said smiling and waving, while Atem grabbed one of their bags, “Let us know if you find him okay?”

Kaiba nodded.

They packed up the limo with mostly Kitty’s bags of toys and clothes. He didn’t get much, just what he’d brought. Then they drove to the house he’d bought, maybe 7 minutes away from Liam and Sylia’s; closer to the shop, but still out of the city. It was blue. Deep blue with white trim and he couldn’t believe Kitty didn’t throw a fit about wanting green. When Mokuba first sent them the pictures of the house, this was the one she liked most; saying it was blue like his room and had a green room just for her. It was perfect, and pulling into the driveway, he admitted she was right.

They carried the bags from the limo to the front door, when Kaiba noticed it was unlocked and not closed all the way. He frowned, pushing open the door and glancing round inside. Nothing looked out of place, at first glance anyway. Everything still exactly as it was in the pictures Mokuba had sent him. They walked in and set the bags down in the living room. He figured he’d deal with it later. He had more pressing matters at hand: who was in the house and where the fuck was Jou.

Mokuba took a deep breath, standing beside Kaiba. “I hope you like it.”

“Kitty loved the pictures and it looks just like them.”

Mokuba lit up. “I can’t believe I’m an uncle! As soon as I can, I'm stealing her from Sylia and Liam.”

Kaiba just laughed at him, walking away to inspect the house. “You have your work cut out for you.”

Mokuba nodded. “Yeah. I… I’m really sorry about Jou.”

“Don’t be. It’s my own fault.”

“I wish I could help you.”

Kaiba glanced back over his shoulder at Mokuba and sighed, “I need to tell him the truth.”

“He’s going to hate you for that.”

“I know, but I’m hurting him this way too.”

Mokuba nodded, looking around, then back at him. “You know what you're doing, big brother. If anyone can talk some sense into him, it’s you.” He paused, looking like he had more to say about it, but didn’t. “Do you need a car?”

“No I can get a ride.”

“Okay. I have to go check on the bar. If you-when you find him, call me first. Shizuka’s freaking out.”

Kaiba nodded. “I will.”

He watched Mokuba smile at him then turn to walk away. He waited until the door shut behind him before looking around the house again. He felt like something was off even if he wasn't seeing it. When he went into the room Kitty chose (green everything of course), he didn’t see anything unusual, even when he checked the closet. He looked at the bathrooms, the kitchen, the living room, the spare bedroom, then the master. When he opened up the door, he blinked; not believing what he saw. The room was used. The bedsheets a mess, a can of soda on the nightstand, and the television was angled so someone could watch it from the bed. Even some clothes were thrown over on a chair by the back door. 

He walked up to the clothes and picked up a shirt, immediately recognizing them not only from how they looked, but how they smelled. They were Jou’s. How did he get in? He rolled his eyes and smiled to himself, remembering Mokuba telling him he didn’t know how Shizuka got in. How did anyone in that family do anything? 

So where could he be now? He wasn’t in the house, that much was clear, but he was sleeping there. So where could he be going in between that time? He walked out of the bedroom and back to the front door. Mokuba was gone, but he didn’t need the limo to take him to find Jou. Even if he did have it, Jou would see it and probably move. He’d done that before. 

He got a cab and went to the shop. Standing in front of it and looking up at the sign, he tried to think of where Jou would go. He kept having the nagging suspicion Jou was where he’d last hunted him down, in the cemetery, but he had no reason to believe he’d be there. Everyone should know that’s where he went. They couldn’t find him. The house made sense, no one would look there. Hell, he wouldn’t have looked there, but the cemetery seemed a little obvious. The feeling didn’t go away though. Fine, he’d try it.

He got a ride to the cemetery and stared at the front gates to it. He still hated being there. Walking through felt just like before, but now he also felt unwelcome. The lowering sun made him feel illatease, like something was about to happen. He walked through until he rounded the corner. Then stopped dead in his tracks.

Jou wasn’t there, but Corbin was. He thought he was dreaming for a second, and took a step back. Corbin stood up and turned around, taking a drag off the cigarette. “Not here yet. You’re too early.”

“W-what?”

“Too early, Kaiba, like normal. Have a seat if you’re not too uncomfortable being next to your own dead body.” He laughed. “Apparently I'm not.”

Kaiba hesitated, but eventually walked over and sat on the opposite wall from Corbin. “What are you doing here?”

“Helping you out. Looks like you’re struggling and I owe you the favor.”

“I’m fine.”

“Yeah, sure. You don’t visit your own grave if everything’s fine.”

Kaiba locked his jaw, staring at him. He had a point.

He took a drag from his cigarette and looked out at the sunset then back to him. “Why do you think your death has such a big impact on everyone?”

“I don’t know.”

Corbin frowned, leaning back on his arm to look at Kaiba’s tombstone. “I don’t either, ya know? I didn't do shit for anyone. Nothing for someone to miss me, but I got mom and dad and Kitty keeping me here. It’s fucked up in a way. All I wanted was to leave, now I’m stuck.”

Kaiba thought about it, but when it came down to it, he wasn’t so different from Corbin in that aspect. He only looked out for Mokuba. At least, that’s what he’d thought, but at some point he started looking out for Jou, and Jou made him help look out for Yuugi, and it spread from there. He still wouldn't say he actively did anything to change their lives in any way. Especially Jou’s. 

All he did was keep him stuck, and all he was doing now was keeping him stuck. His relationship with Jou before, consisted of him pushing back and refusing to change anything. The one time he did plan to change something, even if it was small and would take years, he didn’t get to do it. He didn’t want to let him go, but didn’t want to push him forward either. He let Jou stay exactly where he was. The one time he tried to push him forward, he felt like he pushed him away. 

“I think they remember me differently than I was,” Kaiba said finally, looking up at Corbin.

He nodded, bringing the cigarette to his lips. “You’re different now, that’s for sure, and they still recognize you. It’s crazy huh?”

“Why are you so invested in this? I’m taking over your life. Don’t you want it back?”

Corbin tilted his head to the side and then shook it. “No. I don’t want it back.”

“Why not? You got what you wanted.”

“I wanted Lindsey. I wanted to be an engineer like my dad and I wanted to get the hell out of that corn field. I also wanted to be someone else. I don’t really think it matters what I want or what I wanted. What matters is what I did.” He flicked the cigarette bud in the air and blew out a breath of smoke. “Ultimately, I wanted out. I got out and it didn’t matter who I took down with me, I was going to get what I wanted.”

Kaiba felt uncomfortable hearing that. It sounded like him. Maybe he was having hallucinations. Corbin frowned at the stone again, then looked up at him. “If you could do it again, would you change anything?”

“Aside from never flying that jet?”

Corbin laughed. “Yeah.”

“Yes.”

“What?”

“I’d do then, everything I’m doing now.” 

Corbin nodded, making a strange face. “I bet you would, but I think it’d end the same way.”

Kaiba stared at him, thinking of all his choices. Corbin was right. Even if he did change the ones he’d made to be like this, it would end similarly. He’d still help Mokuba, still would’ve had something blow up on him even if he didn’t make the jet, and still would’ve died too early with too much undone and unsaid. He’d still leave behind a similar scene that he came back to. 

He was dead, in every sense of the word. His life before was gone, but even now, he still tried to pick it back up. He did so much wrong before, and he was doing everything he could to make up for it, but it didn’t feel good enough. He felt his chest tighten as he murmured, “Yes. It probably would. Would you change anything?”

Corbin looked him dead in the eyes and grinned. “No. Not a damn thing. My life sucked. I hurt a lot of people, but if I hadn't, you couldn't do this. And I think nothing I could’ve done would be better than this.”

“I don’t see how you can think that.”

“If I never met Lindsey, I wouldn't have had Mike and Kitty. But I wouldn’t be a drug addict either. I dropped out of college the first week. Realized I wasn’t as smart as my dad. It wasn’t going to happen. Maybe it wasn't that I wasn’t smart, maybe it was that I couldn’t handle it. I don’t know, but I couldn’t do it. If I would’ve stayed, I’d be a drug addict from coping with that. It was something that would happen no matter what I chose, I think. But you can do it, and you are.” Corbin lifted his foot to rest on the wall and laid his arm on his knee. “I don’t know, maybe I'm wrong and there was a perfect choice out there that I still haven’t figured out. I just think this is better.”

Was it though? He kept floating a line between his old life and the life he had now. It reminded him of that movie Liam made him watch, and how he believed reality wouldn’t let you keep both. He felt that more than ever now, sitting there with Corbin waiting for Jou. “I don’t think I can keep both lives,” Kaiba said, drawing Corbin’s attention back to him. “I don’t think it’s possible.”

“Which one are you going to choose then?”

“I still don’t know.” He looked up to ask him which he’d chose, but Corbin was gone. 

He sighed and stood up, getting ready to leave, when he almost ran into Jou. He stared at him, with a pack of beer in his hands, looking just as spooked as he did before. Kaiba didn’t know what to say and the silence was stifling. Eventually Jou walked past him and sat on the wall where Corbin was. He grabbed one of the beers then looked up at him. “Do ya want one?”

“Yes.”

He snickered, grabbing one and reaching over to hand it to him. Kaiba took it and then slowly sat back down on the wall. He opened it up, still staring at Jou trying to think of what to say. 

“How do ya keep findin’ me here?” Jou asked, smiling. “It’s not like I gotta specific time I’m here.”

“Luck I guess.”

Jou nodded and drank the beer. Refusing to look up at him again. 

Kaiba held the cold can in his hands, debating on taking a drink when he frowned at it. “Why are you avoiding me?”

“I’m workin’ shit out.”

“Working what out?”

“You.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Jou said, looking up with narrowed eyes, and Kaiba could feel how angry he was even sitting on the other wall, “I don’t get why ya keep findin’ me here. I don’t get why you’re so close with Moki who’s entire trust bone is the size of a fuckin’ pin, or why Yuug’ trusts ya so damn much he changed his mind about Red and closed the game shop ta move with ya back ta the States. But I really don’t get why ya answered me on that fuckin’ video call exactly like Kaiba. Not just whatcha said, which is fuckin’ crazy enough, but how ya said it. Like it was the most fuckin’ natural thing in the whole goddamn world! It ain’t just that either. I gotta’ list of shit ya do just like him that ya can’t tell me ya picked up in the States. So ya fuckin’ tell me if that makes any sense ta ya, cause it don’t ta me.”

Kaiba locked his jaw and sighed through his nose. 

Jou waited for him to say something and when he didn’t, he shook his head scoffing. “What’s great is I thought I was makin’ it up this whole time ‘cause I wanted ta see it. I really did, but that call?” Jou looked up at him, and it hurt to see the look on his face. “What the hell’s goin’ on?”

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Try me.”

“I'd rather not get punched in the face.”

“Look it’s either get punched in the fuckin’ face or never see me again. Which is it?”

Kaiba smirked at him. “It should be illegal to use yourself as leverage.”

Jou chortled, and Kaiba felt he did something right when he relaxed a little bit. “See, ‘n that shit is what's confusin’ me.”

“What?”

“Kaiba woulda fuckin’ walked out. Not battin’ an eye.”

“He’s an idiot.”

Jou laughed. 

“And…” Kaiba paused, taking a deep breath. “I never realized I might not be able to come back.”

Jou stopped moving, stopped laughing, stopped everything and just stared at him. He started to say something and shook his head, looking away. “I can’t believe I’m fuckin’ askin’ this, but what ‘bout the week I didn’t talk ta ya after-”

“I knew you’d come back.”

Jou leaned back, dropping his hand on his lap. “That don’t-”

“I never thought, the whole time we were together, Katsuya, that you’d  _ ever _ be gone no matter what I did. It never crossed my mind once.”

Jou put his fist to his mouth and sucked in a sharp breath. Then he dropped his arm down on his knee, wringing his hands together. “Why’d ya agree ta go on the vacation then? If ya really thought I wasn’t goin’ anywhere, why do that?” 

“You wouldn’t leave me alone about it. I thought, if it was that important, I’d do it, but I never understood why it was so important to you. I just thought that’s what you wanted.”

“I did,” he sighed then looked up at him, glaring a hole through him. “Why get the shop then? Was that just ta shut me up too?”

Kaiba pursed his lips and slumped down, pressing his elbows into his knees. “No. I got that because I thought you might be right. I wanted to try it and see if it’s what I wanted. But after I woke up in a random hospital being told I was someone else, seeing that I was someone else, and realizing for the first time, I lost you and I couldn’t go back, I knew that’s what I wanted.”

“Ya didn’t lose shit.”

“I did. I lost everything. The only reason I’m here now is I got really lucky. I couldn’t get a hold of you when I called. I couldn’t find anything about this entire city online when I looked. No one knew anything about me or about the accident or Domino in general. I didn’t have the money to leave and try to hunt everything down myself. I couldn’t find a job. I had no way of coming back here.”

Jou looked confused for a second, then sighed, “My number. I had ta change it. Fuck I forgot ‘bout that.”

“I called you and Mokuba several times,” Kaiba said, half smiling, “kept getting a disconnect message.”

“But why didn’t ya tell me? Ya had opportunities. Why keep that from me?”

“Look at me, Katsuya. I’m someone who was a drug addict with a daughter and I have parents and apparently an accent I still don’t hear. I couldn’t come back and try to take over my life as someone else. If I walked up to you and told you who I was when I got here, you would’ve decked me.” Kaiba frowned at him, even when he snickered and nodded. “I wanted to start over. I needed to fix what I’d done wrong.” 

“Ya didn’t do shit wrong, Kaiba,” Jou scoffed, rubbing at his jaw with the back of his hand, then sniffled loudly. “I told ya someone messed with the jet.”

“No. I did a lot wrong and it has nothing to do with the jet.” 

Kaiba set the can down on the wall, and stood up. Jou kept his eyes on him through his blond bangs as he walked over and knelt down in front of him. Up close he got a good look at Jou. He looked tired and beat down, just like Sylia and Liam did when he first met them. It hurt that all of this was  _ his _ fault. He couldn’t blame Corbin for this one.

“I didn’t tell you because I thought someone else was better for you than me. I still don’t know why you’re here.”

Jou humphed and laughed, rubbing his eyes. “What are you talkin’ ‘bout?”

“I never did anything for you. I tried as hard as I could to keep you from knowing how much I loved you because I was afraid if you knew, you’d take advantage of it. The only time even said it was when you’d make that stupid comment. I never  _ made _ time for you, I just used the time I thought I already had. And I made sure to tell you I didn’t care if you left or if you stayed every chance I had. I always thought you’d come back. And I thought even if I left, and I did all the time, I could just come back. I was wrong. I did so much wrong.” 

Jou blinked at him, furrowing his brow as he looked into his eyes. He didn’t say anything at first, then murmured through his tears, “It’s really you, ain’t it?”

“Yes, pup. It’s really me.” Kaiba smiled, gently brushing his fingers over Jou’s damp cheeks to tangle in his hair. Pleased, when Jou leaned forward and pressed his forehead against his. “I’ve spent every second since I woke up trying to go back home. You were right. You were right about everything. I was so focused on things that didn’t matter, that I neglected the things that did. Mokuba is doing so well running Kaiba Corp. and we work great together at the shop. I wanted to start over and do it right this time, because I  _ can’t _ lose you again. It’s why I quit. It’s why I'm here. It’s why I said I’d wait for you, and it’s why I was scared to death to tell you I had to go get Kitty and leave again. You’re home for me.”

He felt Jou wrap his hands around his, squeezing the feeling right out of them. He struggled trying to talk, but he wasn’t going anywhere. “I can’t believe it’s really you. I missed ya so much.”

“I missed you too and I love you. You have no idea how much I love you or what you mean to me. I promise I’m going to fix that.” 

He squeezed his hands even tighter as a tear dropped from his chin. “You’re already doin’ that... I love ya too.”

Kaiba smiled and kissed him. Beer and tears didn’t sound like a good combination to taste, and it probably wasn’t out of context. But this was one of those kisses he’d always remember. Like the kiss in the movie theater projection booth, or on the couch after the night at the bar or the one Jou gave him when he said he had already booked their vacation. Not quite though, it was more like the kiss they shared when Jou came back after a week of being gone. This was a lot like that; bittersweet and desperately needed, after being starved for too long. 

Kaiba sat back, his hands still buried in Jou's hair as he looked into his eyes. “I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to you. If you still want to hit me, I don’t blame you.”

Jou sank down the wall into his arms. “I don’t wanna hit ya.”

\---

Jou didn’t say anything on the drive back to the house. He didn’t say anything when he lead him back to Kaiba’s bedroom, and he didn’t say anything when they fell onto the bed, lips locked and hands everywhere. Even when Kaiba got what he wanted and savored every inch of him, he didn’t say anything (discernible anyway). Laying in bed facing each other, staring at each other in the moonlight that flooded into the room through the back door, Jou still hadn’t said a word. He kept one hand in Kaiba’s, brushing his thumb over the side of his palm, and the other under his pillow. Normally, he’d think Jou was in shock. He couldn’t remember a time since he’d met him that Jou was this quiet. But he kept staring at him, grinning ear to ear, making him keep from breaking the silence. Something about it was comforting and warm. So he laid there too, still not talking.

Jou shifted his arm under his pillow, pushing it back a little, and exhaled through his nose. “Where’s Kitty cat?”

“Sylia kidnapped her.”

Jou snickered, “I bet she did. When ya gettin’ her back?”

“I have no idea. I think Mokuba is taking her after that.”

Jou didn’t say anything for a while again. Still staring at him with the same grin. Then he took a deep breath and sighed, “This is really fuckin’ weird.”

Kaiba smiled. 

“I can’t believe ya gotta kid. I can’t believe ya got parents as cool as that either.”

Kaiba scoffed, “It’s something.”

“What the hell happened ta ya out there? I thought ya hated family.”

“I had to be someone else. I got stuck with them.”

“Yeah,” he chortled. “Shit, what do I even call ya?”

“I’ll leave that up to you. I’m having enough identity issues.”

Jou laughed, squeezing his hand. “Yeah I bet. It’s crazy.”

Kaiba nodded.

“Do Sylia and Liam know who ya are?”

“Yes. They figured it out pretty quick when I finished engine plans without a degree.”

“Makes sense.” Jou narrowed his eyes at him briefly, before resuming his grin. “Who else knows?”

“Mokuba.”

“I figured that.”

“Anzu figured it out somehow.”

Jou laughed, “She’s somethin’ else.”

“Yuugi knows too.”

Jou quirked a brow and frowned. “Really? How’d he figure it out?”

“I had to stop him from breaking up with Red.”

“I was wantin’ ta ask ya ‘bout that. Why’d ya do that?”

“Red is Atem.”

Jou’s eyes widened and he shot up off the pillow. “Are you fuckin’ serious?!” 

“Yes,” he said, snickering. 

Jou laid on his back staring up at the ceiling. “Wow. I had no clue… I thought he was familiar but…”

“I know. I had the same feeling dealing with him. He helped me a lot while I was stuck and since I promised Yuugi I'd help him, and Atem helped me, I felt I owed them.”

“Ah yeah, I almost forgot ya promised that.” Jou looked over at him. “I’m surprised ya both’re so close.”

“I just told you. He helped me a lot when he didn’t need to. Also, he’s the one who brought me back.”

“Brought ya back?”

Kaiba nodded. “I’m here because of him. Otherwise I’d be dead.”

Jou’s expression changed to sudden realization. “His voice. That’s who I heard.”

“What?”

He rolled onto his elbow, looking down at him. “The black box in the jet recorded ya-”

“What? I thought the jet lost power?”

Jou shook his head. “That’s what Moki and I were tryin’ ta tell ya. The control panel ‘n engines lost power, the switch ta the back-up was disconnected, but the black box had power. It recorded everythin’.” He paused, frowning. “Whoever killed ya wanted me ‘n Moki ta know ya were dead. They wanted us ta see it.”

“I’m getting that,” Kaiba muttered. “What voice are you talking about?”

“The box recorded us talkin’, then nothin’, but there’s someone’s voice there at the end that says ‘I’ve got you’. I heard it, but Moki said I was hearin’ things.”

Kaiba blinked at him. He thought he was imagining it too. “I guess it was him.”

Jou brushed his hair back and tilted his head. “Do ya remember the crash?”

He sighed, frowning, “Yes.”

“Is that why ya don’t like lookin’ at the ocean or workin’ in the jet?”

Kaiba nodded.

Jou smiled at him and leaned down, kissing him gently on the lips. “I hated the ocean for a while too.”

“Why?”

“It took ya away from me.”

Kaiba rolled onto his back, wrapping his arms around Jou and pulling him down on his chest. He laid there, resting his head on Kaiba’s chest in silence for a long time. Kaiba almost fell asleep when he heard Jou sigh, “So what dream had ya tearin’ apart a garage door opener?”

He snickered, “You want to talk about that now? I can't believe you remember I said that.”

“I pay attention… sometimes,” Jou sat up a little. “So?”

Kaiba took a deep breath. “I had a dream I found you again, but you’d moved on with someone else. I told you I was trying to get back… but you chose to stay with them.”

“Wow. That’s a shitty dream.”

“It was.”

“It’d never happen.”

“It could have.”

Jou shook his head. “Kaiba, if that ever happened, I’d go with ya. It wouldn't matter what I was doin’. It’d probably suck, but… I dunno. You’re my one.” Then he grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“What?”

“Just thinkin’ if that happened now.”

Kaiba frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Then I’d get two of ya,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows

Kaiba rolled his eyes. “That’s not how this works.”

“It could.” His grin just grew. “It’d be hot.” Kaiba pushed Jou off of him, making him laugh. “What? It is.”

“Don’t you have better things to do?”

“Than think ‘bout there bein’ two of ya? Nah, ‘n even if I did, this is way better.”

Kaiba rolled his eyes again and sat up. He reached for his phone on the night stand and saw several missed calls and text messages. “Popular?” Jou snickered.

“They’re looking for you, I’m sure.”

“Maybe. Honda knows where I am. I dunno why he didn’t just tell sis.”

“Why does Honda know where you are?”

“I’ve been hangin’ out at his place since Ryou moved out. Tryin’ ta help ‘n all, ya know? He’s devastated.”

“When you’re not breaking in here?” Kaiba glanced over at his bright red cheeks briefly before scrolling through the messages. 

“I didn’t break in. I live here ‘member?”

Kaiba smiled, feeling a sense of pride from that. Yes he did. Looking back at the phone, he saw a message from Shizuka asking about Jou, a few pictures of Kitty’s nails and a new dress Sylia got her, and a message from Yuugi asking how he was doing. The group text thread also had a message from Anzu. “Did you get this?”

He showed Jou the phone and laid back down next to him so they both could read it. 

‘Please don’t hate me! It’s been crazy here! The show bombed bad. It only ran for a week. I kept applying for new parts, only got small ones for the last 6 months but I was still in the game. Had to shut off my phone for that time. Couldn’t afford it. You know how it is. I’m not a big money maker like you are Yuugi! ;) So I’ve scraped by with the few parts since then. But guys… GUYS! I got my big break! I finally got it! This new musical is original and the crowds are loving the crap out of it. It’s so popular here they’re making a movie of it. I’m actually starring in that movie!!! ME!! How cool is that guys?! I want you to come to the premier in a year. I’ll get you the good seats! Swear! Please come! P.s. Hugh Jackman remembers me! I think I might die.’

Jou reached over to grab his phone and text her back when Kaiba’s phone buzzed nonstop. Yuugi, Atem, Otogi, Honda and even Ryou all messaged her congratulating her and asking when it was. He laid the phone back on the bed, ignoring it buzzing and rolled over to look at Jou. “You better text your sister first.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m workin’ on it.”

\-----

Yuugi and Atem helped Jou move his things into the house the next day. He tried to get Sylia to bring Kitty back, but she didn’t have her anymore. Shizuka and Mokuba stole her. Kitty was gone for three days, giving him and Jou plenty of time to get used to the new house, and a good head start into catching up on the years they’d been apart. Jou still kept stumbling around with what to call him. Shifting from calling him Corbin, to Kaiba, to Seto, which he finally stuck with towards the end. The day he was supposed to get Kitty back from Mokuba and Shizuka, Yuugi came over and took her because he had to go to Kaiba Corp. with Liam. After that, he made a point to tell everyone she was staying at the house for a while in case anyone else tried to take her. He missed her and Jou missed her.

Liam and Mokuba were finished with the jet and set up a meeting to prove their case to the investigator. They wanted him to be there. He wanted to be too, but the thought of standing beside the jet for hours talking about his death sounded like a horrible plan. Jou insisted on coming along, if for no other reason, to keep him company. At least, that’s what he said. Kaiba was pretty sure he was doing what he did after he had the seizure; ensuring he wasn’t going anywhere. As they approached the jet, he felt his chest tighten, making it hard to breath. Then he felt Jou’s hand wrap around his, pulling his attention to him. “Are ya alright?”

“I’m alive.”

Jou snickered and squeezed his hand. “If it helps ya, just look at me.”

So that’s what he did until he could hear Mokuba talking to the investigator; a gentleman about their age. Kaiba glanced up at them and wrinkled his nose. He looked familiar, and that annoyed him to no end. He was getting tired of seeing people that looked familiar. The investigator turned to Liam and bowed slightly. “Mr. Anderson, It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Hagino, Riichi and I’ve been investigating the death of Mr. Kaiba. Today Mokuba will show us some proof of sabotage so the case can go forward.” 

Mokuba started explaining what he was wanting to accomplish with the new jet, but Kaiba wasn’t listening. Something in the back of his mind told him this was wrong. Something was wrong. Something was about to happen. He squeezed Jou’s hand and looked around for a reason to feel that way, but aside from the jet, there was nothing on the landing strip. He wanted to tell Jou he needed to get away from it, but he was talking to the investigator and Mokuba. Muttering under his breath about Jou’s lack of an attention span, he turned to Liam. 

Liam stared up into the jet cockpit, wide eyed and pale. Kaiba looked up too and saw Corbin sitting there with a cigarette, smiling at them. He waved at them, then made a gesture across his neck, letting his head flop to the side and sticking his tongue out. Resuming his normal expression, Corbin’s shoulders shook with laughter as he brought the cigarette to his lips. 

“So, how about that demonstration?”

He wasn’t sure if it was his growing panic or if he just knew what Corbin meant, but something was wrong with the jet. Kaiba spun around and let go of Jou to grab Mokuba’s shoulder; stopping him from moving. “We need to do this later.”

“What?”

Panicked, he said the first thing that came to his mind to get him to stop. “The control panel’s not finished. I found a few things out of place. I didn’t realize we’d be flying it now.” 

Mokuba blinked at him, not comprehending what was going on at all. He turned to Riichi and forced a polite smile. Even his voice sounded annoyed. “If I had a dollar for every set back with this project I’ve had, I’d be the richest man in the world.” 

Riichi mirrored Mokuba’s smile and he felt he knew him again. He’d seen that annoyed fake smile before. “Not a problem. Just call me when it’s ready to test.”

Kaiba watched him bow and walk away, saying his goodbyes to everyone. Jou glared at him, arms crossed over his chest. “What the hell are ya doin’? I get ya don’t like bein-”

“That’s not the problem,” Kaiba said, then looked at Liam who was still staring into the jet cockpit, looking absolutely shell-shocked. 

“Liam. Liam, are you alright?” Mokuba walked over to him and shook his shoulder. When Liam looked away finally, Mokuba’s frown deepened. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I… I did…”

“We can’t fly that jet.”

“But this is the control model, big brother. We have to fly it.”

“Then we’ll make a remote flying system but no one should be in it.” Kaiba looked back at the Jet. “I don’t think whoever did this is done.”

\----

Mokuba sat at a table in their bar, frowning at Liam. He drank 3 imperial beers so far and asked for a fourth. Kaiba had his hands folded under his chin, watching Liam too. He was really worried about him. He didn’t react like this about the phone number. What was he thinking?

Jou leaned back in his chair, fidgeting. “I don’t get it. What ‘re ya tryin’ ta say? Riichi’s behind it all?”

“I don’t know. I’m just really tired of seeing people who I think I know from somewhere but can’t remember.”

Mokuba tilted his head, crossing his arms over his chest, and hummed, “You know what? He looked familiar to me too.”

“So it’s not just me?”

Shizuka came over with a beer for Liam, while Mokuba looked up something on his phone. “Last one though. You need to take a break.”

Liam humphed at her and grabbed the beer.

Mokuba groaned suddenly and slumped down on the table. “I know why we know him.”

“As bad as all that?”

“Yeah. Remember that weasley kid from our godparents?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Mokuba slid the phone over to him so he could look it over. He was right. Riichi Hagino was in fact their godparents son, or their godmother’s son anyway. She was the one who sent them away after their money was gone. She already had a spoiled rotten brat of a son, she didn’t want them. He slid the phone back and looked at Liam. He looked awful, bags under his eyes and pale. 

“If that’s the case, he’d go after ya too, not just Kaiba. Why come after me or our friends? Kaiba wasn’t openly close with anyone. And the emotional tactics? I don’t think it’s him.”

Mokuba started to say something to that, when Shizuka set a glass in front of him. He smiled up at her and she kissed him quickly, before going back to the bar. Kaiba gave him ‘the grin’ again, and waited until Mokuba looked at him. He instantly blushed and scowled. “What?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

Mokuba muttered something like ‘you’re thinking it’ into his glass as he took a drink. 

“Why would Corbin be in the jet?” Liam finally spoke, lifting himself up enough to drink more of his beer. 

“What’re ya talkin’ ‘bout?”

“We saw him in the jet,” Kaiba said, still looking at Liam.

“Did he say anythin’?”

“He didn’t want us to fly it, but why was he there?” Liam whispered to Kaiba.

He sighed, not really sure what was going on with Liam. “He’s helping me.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s an idiot.” 

“I just don’t… He looked so happy. Like he used to. Did he not want to be with us? What did-”

“I’m going to stop you right there. He’s just helping. End of story. He’s dead, Liam. There’s no happy anything.”

“I should go home.”

“I need you here.”

“You have plenty of friends to help you with this. You don’t need me here.”

He started to get up when Jou laughed, “Liam, seriously man, sit down.”

Kaiba turned to glare at Jou, completely confused as to why he was laughing. What was so funny about this?

“It still gets me. Shit like this. Ya know what woulda happened 3 years ago Liam? He woulda told ya ta leave before we even got in here. Now he’s actually askin’ ya ta stay. That’s fuckin’-” Jou paused, gesturing vaguely- “It’s huge for him. Just sit down. Ya ain’t gonna get a ‘why’. Hell, if ya do, I might have a heart attack.” 

Shizuka walked over and pulled up a chair beside Mokuba, smiling. “Yeah, just sit down, Liam. You’re his dad.”

Jou burst into laughter again.

“Thank you for making that so much worse than it was,” Kaiba muttered.

“No problem, babe.” He winked at him and took a swig of his beer. 

“Corbin never looked out for anyone but himself. I don’t know why he’s looking out for you,” Liam said as he sat back down and shook his head at the beer.

“If you want my opinion, he’s looking out for you two and Kitty.”

“He never did before.”

Mokuba shrugged. “Sometimes you don’t see things till you lose it.”

Liam nodded. Kaiba did too. He could write a book about that, titled: ‘The Story of His Life- in seven words or less.’

“So, we still got nothin’.”

“We don’t ‘got nothing’. We know it’s someone close to us,” Mokuba said, “We should call Ryou. I think he knows what’s going on.”

“What the hell gave ya that idea?”

“He’s acted weird since Seto died, and don’t try to tell me he hasn’t, Jou.”

“It ain’t him, if that’s what you’re thinkin’.”

“It’s someone who knows us. It could be him.”

“It ain’t him.”

“Just call him.”

Jou muttered his disagreement, but called Ryou anyway. They waited for a while but the phone just went to voicemail. “He’s probably thinkin’ I'm gonna yell at him.”

“I’m surprised you haven’t,” Kaiba said, smiling at him.

“Been a little busy, ya know, findin’ out my dead boyfriend’s not exactly dead dead.” Jou glared at him, making him snicker.

Kaiba pulled out his phone and dialed Ryou’s number, just in case that was why he didn't answer. Ryou had no reason to think he’d yell at him. He picked up on the third ring. “Corbin? Are you going to yell at me too?”

“No I’m actually calling to ask you if you know anything about the jet crash?” Ryou didn’t say anything and he looked at his phone. “Apparently enough to get hung up on.”

Mokuba glared at Jou. 

He huffed and sat up, throwing his hands on the table. “Look. Yeah, he might be actin’ weird, but he’s a good guy. He’d never do that Moki, ‘n ya know it.”

“I’d like to think that too, but this is serious.”

Kaiba felt in his gut it wasn’t Ryou, but he also felt like Ryou knew a lot more than he wanted to let on. Jou got his phone out again and called someone, leaning on the table and exhaling dramatically. “Hey Honda. I know ya don’t wanna do shit but I need ya at the bar… Yeah now… I don’t need ta know that just fuckin’ hurry up…Yeah I’m fine. Look it’s been a crazy few days.” Jou slammed his head on the table, making Kaiba snicker. “I’m alive ain’t I?… No nothin’s happened... Dammit Honda! I didn’t call ya ta get a lecture just go ta the bar.” He hung up and grumbled something about overprotective friends before sliding the phone back in his pocket. 

“I’m going to get hit aren’t I?”

“Well I didn’t hit ya ‘n someone should.”

Ten minutes later, Honda walked into the bar and looked around, locking his glare on Kaiba. He stalked over to the table, grabbed a seat and sat beside Liam and Mokuba. He probably would’ve sat by Jou, but Shizuka took up that space. “So… what do you want?”

“We want to know why Ryou’s acting so weird lately? It started when big brother died.”

Tristan didn’t say anything and Shizuka leaned forward. “I’ll get you a drink Honda. Got a request?”

“The strongest thing you have.”

“Got it,” she giggled and stood up.

Honda watched her walk away then, turned his attention to Kaiba, still glaring at him. “You know why he’s acting weird, Corbin.”

“I know what you told me before, but I don’t think that’s all of it.”

“It never is.” Honda looked up forcing a smile and glancing between Jou and Mokuba. “Ryou’s dad has lung cancer. Had it since before Kaiba died. It was better, they thought he beat it, but it came back 7 months ago. This month, they said they aren’t doing Chemo on him anymore. Ryou’s upset about it. That’s why he’s acting weird.”

“And?” Kaiba crossed his hands over his chest, getting a disgruntled sigh from Honda.

“And I don’t fucking know. I don’t know what’s going on with him. He won’t tell me.”

“You know more than that,” Kaiba insisted.

“I don’t need to tell you shit!”

“Honda we’re tryin’ ta help. What’s goin' on?”

Honda just shook his head. He waited until Shizuka got him his drink, downed half of it, coughed, then shook his head again. “He’s not in London.”

Jou sat up, shifting the chair that made a loud squeak on the floor. “What?”

“I called his dad. He hasn’t seen him. Something’s going on with him and-” Honda rubbed his face with the palms of his hands then threw them on the table. “I think it has to do with the crash. I didn’t want to talk to any of you about it, probably for the same reason you’re asking me about it now. It wasn’t him, but I don’t know what he’s doing. He keeps thinking it’s all his fault and I just don’t see how he can think that. He didn’t do anything.”

Mokuba frowned at Kaiba and he knew what he was thinking. ‘I told you so’, but this didn’t make any sense. He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, “Let me get this straight. Ryou’s disappeared and you didn’t say anything about this why?”

Honda looked up at him, and for the first time, he didn’t look angry or defensive, he looked desperate. “He thinks, really thinks that it's his fault that Kaiba died. Like I said before, I thought he had depression because of his dad, but after Anzu’s party I realized that wasn’t it. He was better, happier, so we went, but then I don’t know what happened but he came back a complete wreck. Kept saying it was all his fault, saying someone was going to come and get him, and a bunch of other crazy stuff. He’s so freaked out and paranoid I couldn’t get through to him at all. I just don’t know what is going on. I tried getting him to calm down, but he left. He said he couldn’t handle it anymore and left.”

Kaiba muttered under his breath about the sheer irony of Ryou devoting his life to learning psychology, but not knowing a damn thing about his own mental health, and pushed back from the table. “I’ll be right back.”

Jou looked up at him. “Where are ya goin’?”

“I have to make a call.”

He stomped out of the bar, hoping Jou wouldn’t follow him. He looked back behind him when the door shut, just to be sure, and called Ryou again. He was mad. Not at anyone specific, just mad in general. Ryou wasn’t the one doing any of this, it was obvious. If it was him, he’d be freaking out like this just after the crash, not years later. He knows something, Kaiba had zero doubts about that, but it wasn’t him. 

It took calling him 4 times before he answered. “Don’t hang up on me!”

“Corbin, I have a lot going on right now, I can’t talk.”

“Deal with it! I need to talk to you.”

“If this is about Honda-”

“It’s about the crash!” he shouted into the phone then took a calming breath. “Since we’re on the subject though, why am I the one having to deal with him? He’s YOUR boyfriend.”

He looked at his phone to make sure Ryou was still there and sighed. But Ryou started talking first, much to his surprise. “I’m really sorry. I can’t help.”

“I don’t want your help. I want you to listen.”

“Alright, Corbin. I’m listening.”

“Why are you always in the middle of everything? Didn’t you learn to stop that the last time?”

“Misery loves company,” Ryou snickered, but it sounded sad. “And I guess I never learn.”

“Why are you avoiding me?”

Ryou was quiet for a while. “Because you remind me of a mistake I made. Being around you brings up bad stuff.”

“What bad stuff? There was plenty before and you didn’t do this.” Then he groaned. That probably didn’t make any sense. 

“It’s my fault he’s dead.”

“I’m going to need a better explanation than that. You think everything is your fault.”

Ryou snorted. “It always is.”

“Yeah sure. You thought Jou being drunk before his interview was your fault. It wasn’t. It was mine for telling him he had no way in hell of getting that job to begin with. And you thought that Anzu not getting into the college she applied for was your fault because you didn’t write a good enough recommendation. It wasn’t. It was hers for fucking up her audition, and she told you that! You always think everything is your fault so unless you actually have a good reason I’m going to ignore it and you should too.”

Ryou made a choked inhuman sound on the phone, so loud he had to pull it away for a moment. “How do you know about that?”

“Intuition. So start explaining why you think this is your fault? Did you sneak into Kaiba Corp. and rewire the jet? I know you could figure it out if you had to, Ryou, but that’s just ridiculous.”

Ryou started laughing. He waited, but he still didn’t explain himself.

“Well?”

He was quiet for a long time, then Kaiba heard something over the phone but he wasn’t sure what it was. 

“Are you there?”

“Yeah.” Ryou said, then blew his nose.

Kaiba rubbed his forehead, leaning against the glass window of the bar. “If I have to go to London to drag you back here to get an explanation, I will.”

“I’m not in London.”

“Then I’ll drag your father here and hold him hostage till you get back.”

Ryou sounded like he was trying to laugh but it came out as more of a sob, “That’s cheating, Kaiba… I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t want your apology. I want to know what’s going on.”

“I sold your jet plans.”

“Very funny.”

“I’m serious. When I visited Jou to help him get ready the month before your vacation, I took them and I sold them.”

Kaiba blinked. He couldn’t get over how crazy that sounded. “Why?”

“The college was embezzling money. The president actually got arrested for it a year ago, but they were cutting my paychecks and I tried fighting with them about it but it didn’t get me anywhere. Then I found out about my dad and I had to help. He’s so sick... I needed money to come home. So,” He paused, sniffled and exhaled into the phone, “I took the plans.”

“Why that? I have a million other things you could have taken.” Kaiba pushed off the wall and growled into the phone, “Or you could’ve asked Jou or me for the money like a normal person would. Why do that?”

“I couldn’t pay you back, Kaiba, and even if I could, you would’ve said no. I wasn’t planning on taking anything, but this guy came into my office and asked me if I could get them. He said his company would pay me for them.” Ryou then hiccuped and sobbed, “I thought they'd do what everyone else did, recreate your things and you’d go after them. It happened all the time. Jou told me about it all the time. I didn’t know. I had no idea that… I’m so sorry.”

Kaiba sighed, and let himself fall back against the glass. That was a reasonable explanation, not one he liked at all, but at least it was reasonable. “What company?”

“Ugh, it doesn’t matter,” Ryou spat, “The company isn’t real and his name was fake. I didn’t figure it out until the crash.”

“Did you at least get the money?”

“Yes.”

“How much? A thousand yen?”

Ryou laughed through a sob. “Not nearly as much as they were worth. I found that out later too.”

“What did he look like?”

Ryou described someone who looked different then Riichi, but that could be an accomplice or Riichi in disguise. Apparently Ryou was an accomplice, but as much as he'd like to be furious about it (and he was) he understood the position Ryou was in, even if he could’ve just asked. Then again, they both knew he’d say no. Especially if he wasn’t able to pay him back. He had so much going on with stolen tech from the company at the time, he wouldn’t feel comfortable with a hand out like that. Jou might have whittled him down but Ryou needed it then, not the year or two he’d take to think about it… then say no anyway. Ryou was right. Like he’d said no to Yuugi. Like he blamed Jou for stealing money. So this would’ve happened anyway. 

He sighed into the phone, turning towards the bar window. He saw his transparent reflection in it, as well as everyone sitting at the table. They talked amongst each other, smiling. Apparently they were cheering up Honda. Then he looked at himself. If Ryou hadn’t done this, he’d still be alive, but none of this would be here either. The bar, Liam, Shizuka. Maybe the shop would be, maybe it wouldn’t. It definitely wouldn’t have that stupid name that kept making him smile every time he saw the sign. He wouldn’t have Kitty and, if he was honest with himself, he probably wouldn’t have Jou. In some warped way, maybe this was more of a favor than a curse. He stared at the reflection of himself, as Corbin, tightening his grip on the phone.

“This conversation isn’t over, but you need to come back.”

“I can’t. I don’t have any money.”

“I’ll buy you a ticket.”

“I think I’ve taken enough from you.”

“Yes. You have, but I’m considering this self preservation. Apparently when I don’t help you, I end up dead.”

“Guh, don’t say that.” He sniffled again. “I’m so sorry.”

Kaiba just ignored him. He still didn't want to hear it. “So this is what’s going to happen: First of all, you’re never EVER telling Mokuba about this. I’m serious. I’m not able to bail you out of anything and he will  _ not  _ understand. Second, I’m pretty sure I can get them to reveal themselves, but I might need your help. And third, I’m tired of dealing with Honda so you’re coming back to deal with him.”

Ryou laughed, but it didn’t last long. “What am I supposed to say? They’ll know I did it.”

Kaiba looked out onto the street trying to think of an answer for that. He could see some of the guys from the shop walking around out front and waved at him. He waved back. He needed to hurry up this call or he’d have all of them talking to him. “You’re going to tell them you were propositioned with it, and said no.”

“Honda knows I got the money.”

“He doesn’t know how. Tell him I gave it to you.”

“They know you wouldn’t do that.”

“I would if you told me someone else was trying to buy it, if nothing else for the description so I could track them down. And I don’t make records of deals like that so Mokuba couldn't look into it.” Kaiba sighed, “Honestly, I would’ve thought the same thing you did about it. I would’ve assumed they were going to resell it or recreate it. I never thought this would happen. If I did, I wouldn't leave them around in a file folder clearly marked.”

Ryou snickered, “Very clearly marked. I’m surprised they just didn’t go get it.”

“I only let certain people in my home or office.”

“And I broke that trust. I’m so-”

“Stop it. I don’t want to hear it.” He frowned at the ground. “So where are you so I can get you a ticket?”

“I’m with my dad… I told him not to tell anyone I was here…”

Kaiba scoffed, grinning. Of course he was.

Ryou was quiet for a while then sighed into the phone. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this. You’re not a forgiving person.”

“I’m not. At all… but I would’ve done the same thing.”

“Maybe, but that doesn’t change it. You’re so different.”

“You would be too if you were living someone else’s life.”

He snickered, sounding more relieved than anything, “Yeah! How are you doing that?”

“Atem brought me back.”

“At-What?!” Ryou shifted the phone. “Wait... how?”

“Atem came back as Red and he brought me back too.”

“I knew it!” Kaiba shook his head at Ryou’s celebrating, then he sniffled one last time. “I-I should go. I need to call Honda.”

“Yes you do.”

“Thank you, Kaiba.”

“Don’t thank me just yet. I’ll email you the tickets when I get them.”

“Okay… Tell Jou I'm sorry.”

“I’ll leave that to you.”

He hung up the phone, looking back into the bar. In a matter of seconds, Honda bolted up from the table with the phone to his ear. He practically ran out and in the direction of his apartment, shouting into the phone. “Where the hell are you?! I’ve been...Don’t start that...”

Honda glanced over at Kaiba and nodded, then walked away. Jou strolled out not long after that and grinned at him, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I bet ya need a drink after that.”

“You have no idea.”

Jou’s grin widened. 

“What?”

“Nothin’.”

“You don’t look like it’s nothing.”

“What? Can’t I look at ya?”

“Not like that.”


	17. Chapter 17

He bought plane tickets for Ryou for the following day, but didn’t hear from him for two days after that. Not that he cared, he needed all the time he could to come up with a plan that didn’t have so many holes in it it could grate cheese. When he sat down with Mokuba, Jou and Liam to explain the plan at the kitchen table at his house, he received mixed reactions. Mokuba loved it, Jou thought it was over board, and Liam noticed the few inconsistencies he was hoping no one would notice. 

Mokuba beamed, laying his palms down on the table. “So it’s settled. I’m going to fake my death.”

“I still think ya guys are bein’ dramatic.”

“That’s what the Kaiba brothers do,” Mokuba snickered, “If it isn’t worth faking your death over, it’s not worth doing at all.”

Kaiba shook his head at him, laughing. Then Kitty came bolting into the room covered in flour. “Do you want sprinkles?”

“Only if they’re green,” Kaiba said, smiling at Kitty’s excited gasp when she ran out of the room.

Jou snickered at her then looked up at Mokuba. “So Ryou’s gonna sell Liam’s plans.”

“Since they're air tight!” Mokuba chirped, making Liam blush. It had to be the first time he’d seen that.

“And you’re going to announce that we’ve caught the guy. Then take the jet out to prove it was taken care of,” Liam said.

“Boom I’m fake dead!” Mokuba giggled.

Kaiba shook his head. “Then you will sell Kaiba corp, Katsuya. In person, so they are arrested.”

“Plan done.”

Kitty came back in the room holding a big mixing spoon with cookie dough on it. She walked over to Jou and smiled at them, sliding the spoon onto the table in front of him. He immediately took it and grinned at her. Then Sylia called from the kitchen, “Kitty where’s my spoon?”

Jou shoved the whole thing in his mouth then handed it to her. She giggled and ran back into the kitchen. 

“Plan not done,” Liam insisted, ”I don’t think these guys are that stupid. They’ll probably try to kill you after you sell the plans or before and forge your signature on the papers.”

“So…” Jou said, trying to swallow the cookie dough. “So wait. I’m bait? That’s bullshit.”

Kaiba shrugged bringing his coffee mug to his lips. “Well you were too cute for any of the other positions in the plan, so that’s it.”

“Fuck you!”

Kaiba opened his mouth, more than happy to finally be able to say his usual come back to that, when Mokuba lifted himself out of the chair pointing at him. “Don’t say it. I swear, I’ll walk out of here and never talk to either of you again.” Liam frowned at Mokuba but he just glanced over at him. “Trust me I’m saving you.”

Liam laughed and shook his head all of them. “So after the ‘fake death’, Mokuba will stay with Yuugi and Red, and will meet us in the designated room for whatever meeting will take place. Reveal himself and we have them arrested.” He sighed, “I still think it won’t work, but it's probably the best we’ll come up with.”

“If nothing else it will give us a better look at who’s doing this,” Kaiba said. 

“Yeah, assuming someone doesn’t get shot.”

Jou huffed, “Heh yeah, I’m the one who’s gonna get shot.”

Kaiba narrowed his eyes at him. “You don’t know that.”

“Bait always gets shot when it comes ta you two.” He leaned forward on the table holding out his fingers, adding one with each name. “Yamamoto, Nakamura, Kobayashi, Kato-”

“We get the picture, Jou,” Mokuba sighed. “Kitty!”

Kitty came running back into the room and bounced on her feet. 

“Where’s my cookie dough?”

“Oh!” She giggled and ran back.

Liam looked between all of them and scratched his head. “Wait, who are they? What do they have to do with anything?”

“Just bodyguards or department heads in Kaiba corp.”

“That’s just the first part of the list. There’s also Yoshida, Yamada, Sasaki and fuckin’ Bob from accountin’ that didn’t do shit ta either of ya.”

“That was an accident,” Kaiba quickly defended.

“He wasn’t planned bait.” Mokuba shrugged, and his grin widened when Kitty came back in to sneak him the spoon again.

“Cause that makes it better?” Jou grumbled, “I’m gonna get shot.”

Sylia came around the corner just as Mokuba started eating it and sighed, “Kitty…”

“Grandma he stole it!”

Mokuba tried to protest but Sylia just laughed. “Ah huh. Come on. The cookies need to come out of the oven.”

After they left the room, Mokuba grinned at Jou, waving the spoon. “She got me more cookie dough than you. She loves me more.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t get caught.”

“Semantics.” Mokuba tilted his head to the side and smirked at him. “And look on the bright side, Jou. We’ve never lost a single bait.”

Kaiba laughed at the glare Mokuba received (all the while still smirking).

\----

Over the course of the next month, they executed their plan perfectly. Ryou eagerly agreed to help in any way he could, making comments about needing money to visit his father while he was at work. Just like before, he was approached again. He sold the plans and kept records of all the fake information he’d given him. It was the same guy, and this time, he noticed other things about him that stuck out. After talking to Ryou about what he’d seen, he realized it was actually Riichi in an elaborate disguise. Mokuba’s work on hardlight for the holo room he wanted to make actually came in handy, creating an identical version of himself that could shake hands, fly the plane and do everything they needed him to do while Mokuba could stay in a safe room at Kaiba corp.

Watching that jet dive into the ocean, to smolder and explode just like what happened to him, almost caused him to have another seizure. He could feel it this time, knew it was about to happen so he could stop it, but he wasn’t sure if it was just something he figured out, or something Corbin was helping him with. So he left as fast as he could to get away from all of it. It ended up working in their favor, but it took him a lot longer to calm down than he wanted to admit. 

Two weeks later, Joey started getting calls; everyone started getting calls. Everyone but his family. Which was admittedly a little strange. He knew it was Riichi, but he also felt Jou was right. Everything was too personal for it to be just him, but if this person knew them so well before, he should know Atem and him were good friends of Jou’s and Mokuba’s. He kept feeling like he was missing something as he drove home from the shop. Jou said he had some work to do at Kaiba Corp for Mokuba and would be back for dinner with him and Kitty. He didn’t like the idea of Jou going anywhere by himself but Kaiba Corp was a secure place, one he should be safe in, and he had to get home so Sylia could go back home. 

He pulled up to the house and frowned at the strange car in the driveway. Parking his car beside it, he walked around it toward the front door. The windows were tinted almost completely black so he couldn’t see inside it, and that just made him more nervous. As soon as he opened the front door, Kitty ran into his arms giggling. “Daddy You’re home! I’m making Oya… Ookayo...Oyako...Hmmm. Grandma! What are we making?”

“Oyakodon,” she called from the kitchen. He smelled it immediately after she mentioned it.

Kitty turned to him and smiled. “Okak...Oyakod.. That word is hard!”

He laughed. “It smells great. Who’s here besides Grandma?”

“Oh! Only Otogi! He’s helping!”

Kaiba walked into the room with Kitty in his arms when Otogi turned the corner grinning at him. “Hey! ‘Bout time you got here.”

Sylia popped her head out from around the corner as well, spatula in hand. Looking at her, he noticed her and Kitty had matching aprons on. He rolled his eyes as she smiled at him. “Dinner’s almost ready!”

“Stop buying everything Kitty asks you for.”

“I do not!” She scoffed at him, then faced the kitchen beaming. “I wanted these.”

When she disappeared into the kitchen, Otogi slid his hands into his pockets casually. “I’m sorry about just showing up but… I was hoping we could talk... without Jou here.”

He quirked a brow at him and set Kitty down. “What’s wrong?”

“Ah nothing terrible. Just wanted to ask your opinion about Anzu.”

Kitty ran into the kitchen, pulling his attention away from Otogi for a split second. “Alright, I don’t have long th-” When he glanced back at him, he found a gun pointed at his face. He blinked at it, then frowned. He should be worried or scared or mad, but he was honestly just annoyed. “Otogi, what the hell are you doing?”

He grinned, filled with malice and delight; and his voice hushed but no less sharp, “What’s it look like I'm doing? Gotta have some leverage over that boyfriend of yours, so come on. Outside before I make a scene in front of your daughter and mom.”

Kaiba locked his jaw glaring at him. “Fine.” He backed up and opened the front door, calling back to the kitchen. “Otogi and I are going to get beer. We’ll be right back.”

“Sure thing sweety!”

Kaiba turned away from Otogi and frowned at the car in the driveway. Sweety? Since when did she call him that? But he didn’t have long to dwell on it, Otogi pressed the end of his gun into his back ushering him forward to the back passenger side door. The drivers door opened, showing a man he’d never seen before. He opened the back door for both of them and Kaiba climbed inside, Otogi right behind him gun still focused on him. The door shut and the man got back into the car, putting it into gear. 

Kaiba focused on Otogi’s pleased grin. He honestly had no idea what was going on. Sure, they didn’t see eye to eye on many things but it didn’t lead to murder, attempted murder and kidnapping at gun point. “Don’t you think this is a little extreme?”

Otogi cackled, before adjusting in his seat. “I’m sure it seems that way Corbin. See your boyfriend owes me a lot and he’s not exactly trustworthy, but he is predictable, and that’s why you’re here.”

“To keep him on task.” Kaiba nodded and sighed, staring at the gun, “I can’t say I disagree with you, but I’d rather you didn’t point that at me.”

Otogi snickered, “Done this before?”

“Ex heroin addict. I’ve seen everything.”

He laughed and shifted the gun to point away from him, just slightly but it was enough for Kaiba to take a deeper breath. Otogi leaned back against the door and kept his grin. “I bet you have.”

“So what did my idiot boyfriend do this time?”

Otogi’s grin was malicious and cruel. He seemed to change completely, in expression and body language as Kaiba stared at him. “He invested in the wrong company.”

\---

Otogi lead him through Kaiba Corp., waving at his secretary and telling them he was going to see Jou. Otogi had the perfect cover for that. They knew Kaiba, knew he worked there still, and definitely knew about him and Jou. Otogi used him as a key to go straight to where he wanted. It was ironic, being shoved along the hallway towards his office. He couldn’t get over how well planned this all was. He didn’t think Otogi had it in him. Kaiba was impressed. It didn't help him out a single bit, but he was still impressed. 

Walking up to his office, Mokuba’s office and now Jou’s fake office, Kaiba stared wide eyed at Riichi standing just outside the door. “There you are. You’re late.”

“He’s late. I’m right on time.”

Riichi laughed.

They pushed open the office door and Otogi lead him in first. Jou looked up at them, frowning, but it took a little too long for him to register what was happening. He reached for the security button on the desk, but Otogi pointed the gun at Kaiba’s temple stopping him from moving. “You need to be a lot more patient, Katsuya.”

Kaiba looked at Jou, but realized as their eyes locked, no one knew they were there. Jou was pissed off, visibly feeling betrayed and terrified. Their plan backfired, just like Liam predicted. Kaiba was now the bait and Jou was on his own. They were going to die. They were going to get shot. He could just feel it.

So he just sat there, watching the events unfold as Corbin instead of Kaiba, and it was the strangest thing he’d ever done. But, what else could he do? This had everything, and yet nothing, to do with him. At least he wasn’t in a jet over the ocean. He’d rather be shot. Much rather be shot.

Riichi walked over to Kaiba and took his arm, moving over to one of the visitors chairs infront of his desk and had him sit down. Jou watched him, still not moving, then glared at Otogi. “Otogi what the fuck’s goin’ on?”

“I think it’s pretty obvious. You’re going to sign over Kaiba Corporation to Riichi over here.”

“You’re a slimy bastard, ya know that?”

“So you’ve said before,” he said and strode up to Jou on the side of the desk. “Had to prove just how slimy I can be. You’ve sure proved how much of a bitch you are.”

Jou snickered and shook his head. “Oh yeah sure.” He looked Otogi dead in the eyes and grinned maliciously. “Yuug’ was right. I shoulda beat the shit outta ya that night. He knew it then. I shoulda known then.”

“Heh, yes you should have but you didn’t.” Otogi pointed the gun at Jou’s temple hard enough to make him tilt his head. “I was pretty worried you’d catch on after that, but you’re really not that bright, are you?”

Kaiba quirked a brow at them. Then sighed, crossing his legs and leaning on his elbow, his chin resting on his fingers as he watched them. Either he missed a lot the last few years or something was going on that no one told him about. Kind of like the stories they told him about Jou in the bar. He didn’t hear either of them before. Watching Jou’s fury igniting in his eyes, he hated himself for what he was about to say. “I’m still not understanding what the big deal is.”

It pulled Otogi’s attention away from Jou for a moment and he turned all of it, including the gun, on him. “See what I mean? You have your poor boyfriend completely in the dark.”

Riichi laughed, closing the folder he had open on the desk. “Kind of like Kaiba, huh?”

Otogi laughed too. “Yeah. That asshole had no idea what hit him. Good riddance.”

Otogi grabbed a chair and spun it around to sit directly in front of Kaiba, while Riichi walked around the desk. “I have what I need.”

He kept his eyes on Kaiba, grinning. “Good.”

Riichi waved at them and walked out of the office. Jou watched him, then started to move, but Otogi pointed the gun at Kaiba’s head. “I’d stay right there if I were you or do you want another boyfriend’s blood on your conscience?”

Jou made a pained frown but stood where he was. 

“That's what I thought.” He looked back at Kaiba. “My company would be huge if it weren't for Kaiba and his sniveling little brat. He was jealous of everything I’d accomplished, everything, and made a point to try and put me out of business. So when he started dating Jou, I figured I’d return the favor. I wasn’t planning on killing him then, I just wanted him to lose everything.

“I helped everyone that I could get my hands on to steal Kaiba’s plans, steal his ideas and make him work day in and day out to deal with all of them. I had him on the ropes, strained his relationship with Jou and the brat, had his company chasing after scandals left and right. My plan was working great. A year before the crash, I thought I got what I wanted. He lost Jou, Mokuba was avoiding him, and his company took a huge hit from all the scandals. Everything was perfect, but then he started wising up I guess.”

Kaiba wasn’t leaning on his hand anymore, he was listening intently to everything Otogi was saying. He did all of that? It made so much sense as he was explaining, but Kaiba never once thought it was one person. He thought he just had a few overzealous employees making money off of selling his projects. It was Otogi the whole time?

“I thought I had Jou convinced he should leave him and he did for a week, but he came sniveling back all because he ‘promised’ Jou he’d fix everything. I tried to talk him out of it, but you know Jou. He’s a stubborn idiot at the best of times. So I had to do something. That’s when I met Riichi. Turns out that asshole left a lot more enemies out there then he ever knew. We came up with a plan to get rid of him once and for all and take everything out from under him at the same time.”

Jou balled his fists and snarled at him, “You fuckin’ piece of-”

Otogi pointed the gun back at Kaiba’s head and leaned back to grin at Jou. “This is all your fault, Katsuya. Everything, but that’s okay. I forgive you. And now I own half of Kaiba Corporation and I’m going to love driving it into the ground, exposing that asshole for the worthless monster he really was. He has nothing now, and neither will you after I’m done here.”

“So what? Your gonna shoot us both? How ya gonna cover that up?”

“Riichi,” Kaiba said through gritted teeth, “That’s how you’ve covered it all up before, he’s tampering with evidence and pulling his ties with the police department right?”

“Right as rain, Corbin. So you see, I can’t leave any witnesses. Unless Jou wants to change his mind and come to his senses.”

Jou looked at Kaiba as if he were genuinely considering it, but Kaiba just smirked at him. “We’re going to get shot either way.”

Otogi laughed. “Probably. No hard feelings Corbin. It really sucks. Wake up from a coma, turn your life around only to die once you reach the top. Should’ve stayed away from Jou and the brat. They destroy everything they touch.”

Kaiba sighed through his nose. So did he, to be fair. He didn’t know whether to applaud Otogi or kill him, maybe he could do both. Otogi pointed the gun at him again. “Any final words?”

He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees and smirked at him. “You failed.”

“I haven’t failed at anything,” he laughed. “You’re both going to die and I got his company.”

“We might die, but you will never get MY company, Ryuuji. I have cameras and voice recorders everywhere in this office and I invite you to spend all the time you want looking through it.” Otogi lowered the gun staring at him like he was joking, making him grin. “You’ll never find all of them.”

“Heh, even if there were. Mokuba and Kaiba are the only one's who’d know about them and they’re both dead.”

“I’m not dead and neither is Mokuba.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Mokuba’s alive and well and Liam is on to your little scheme. You failed killing me once. I doubt you’ll succeed a second time. Your company is trash because it’s always been trash, just like you. I never needed to lift a single finger to destroy you, you were doing such a great job all by yourself.” He snickered at the glare he got from Ogoti. “And just in case you think I’m bluffing, it’s me. Seto Kaiba. I’m the one who denied your claim that the dice system would work and showed it to all the investors how and why it wouldn’t work. But I wasn't the one who destroyed anything of yours. All you had to do was fix it, but you didn’t. You let it go, insisting it would work even though a complete idiot would see that it didn’t. You ruined yourself. If you had owned up to your mistakes, I would have invested in your company, like I've done for hundreds before you in the exact same situation. You proved to me and every investor in the country that you were an idiot. You did that all by yourself.”

Otogi’s eyes widened and he lowered the gun, too shocked to move. 

“I know about Ryou. You took advantage of him so you could get my plans. You needed them so you could rewire my jet because you’re too stupid to figure it out. And you did try, didn’t you, Ryuuji? For what? Months? A year? Finally give up because it was too advanced for you? Just like the dice system. You’re a little kid playing at a big game. You could’ve grown up and done this right, but instead you’re throwing a fit. You lost. You  _ failed. _ ”

Otogi shot up to shout something at him and Jou took advantage of his loss in focus. He lunged for him, knocking him to the ground. Kaiba shot up from the chair, and reached out for the security button on the desk, but he never made it. Just as he reached for the desk, he heard the loud bang of the gun and felt searing pain through him. He sank down onto the desk, staring at them shuffling around on the ground when the door burst open and someone else came into the room. 

He was right. He got shot. Looking down at his stomach, he saw red and wrapped his arms around himself. Sounds started to fade, but he heard another shot and the door hitting the wall. Next thing he knew, he felt hands on his shoulders and saw Jou’s face in front of him staring at him. He was talking to him but he couldn’t hear him. Jou cupped the sides of his face, making him stay looking at him. All he could understand from him was when he mouthed ‘hang on’.

So he just smiled at him. “I love you, pup.”

Jou mouthed ‘I love ya too’ and he kept his eyes on him as his vision blacked around the edges, tunneling in until he couldn’t see anything. And he couldn't feel anything either.

\----

He heard beeping as he blinked awake. Everything was blurry and he still couldn’t feel anything. He tried to move, but all he managed to do was lift his arms up to slide under the pillow. That’s when he realized he was laying on his stomach. He moved his head, to the side, looking around but all he saw was the stupid cream colored hospital bed railing full of buttons… in English again. He groaned, “Come on.”

He turned to face into his pillow and sighed. This was getting ridiculous. If he was back in that cornfield town again he’d pull his hair out. He heard footsteps coming into the room and turned his head to the side again as the cream colored railing lowered to show a doctor standing there. He was a portly man, mostly bald with a proud smile on his lips. 

“Good evening Corbin. I’m glad to see your awake,” he whispered.

Kaiba frowned at him. Why the hell was he whispering?

“The surgery went well. In the morning I’ll have the nurses come to get you for physical therapy.” Then he stood a little taller making it hard for Kaiba to see him. “And they said it couldn’t be done. Ha!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Do you remember what happened?”

“I was shot by some crazed lunatic with a Napoleon complex.”

The doctor laughed, then cleared his throat. He glanced behind Kaiba and then smiled down at him, still whispering, “Right on the money. They stabilized you in Japan but Mr. Kaiba had you sent here when they told him you were paralyzed. I performed surgery on your spine so you could walk again. That being said, medicine isn’t an exact science. You’ll have to work to walk again. I just laid the bricks down for you to build up from there.”

“Wonderful,” Kaiba snorted. “Nothings ever easy.”

The doctor shook his head. “It never is, but I think you’ll come through. I heard you’re the kind who doesn’t let a setback take you out. It’s why I allowed the surgery.”

Kaiba sighed and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me just yet,” he chortled softly. “Just wait until the painkillers wear off. You’ll be singing a different tune.” 

He started to walk away when Kaiba shifted. “Where is my family?”

The doctor gestured behind him and he turned to see the other cream colored railing. The doctor walked around his bed and lowered it for him. As soon as he did, he saw why the doctor was whispering. Sylia slept on a chair near the bed with a book in her lap. 

“The rest are in the waiting room. You have a big family.”

Kaiba smiled, watching Sylia sleep. “I do.”

“Get some rest. Tomorrow will bring its challenges.” He walked away and Kaiba stared at Sylia.

It reminded him of the night he woke up in the hospital in the first place, with her insisting to stay and sleeping in the chair beside his bed. This time she didn't look beat down and worn out, like life had stolen what little she had from her. She looked peaceful and rested. He thought about just letting her sleep, but he wanted to make sure she knew he was alright. “Mom.”

She shifted, resting back against the chair making him scoff. Maybe he wasn’t waking her up. But she stirred again and turned to look at him, blinking the sleep from her eyes. When she saw him looking at her, her eyes flew open and she was wide awake. “Honey! You’re awake! How are you feeling?”

“I can’t move.”

She laughed, snorting, then cleared her throat, “You just had surgery on your spine after getting a bullet lodged in it, honey, I think that’s normal.” Then her smile faltered. “You’re lucky to be alive. Jou said you were dead, but then he and Mokuba smelled cigarette smoke and you were just alive and breathing again before the paramedics even arrived.”

“I guess I owe your son one then.”

“Or he was paying you back for taking care of all of us.” Sylia smiled. “I don’t think any of us will be hearing from him again.”

Kaiba blinked at her, frowning. “Why do you say that?”

“I don’t know. Just have a feeling. I think he’s moved on.”

Kaiba nodded, not really sure what to say when Sylia grinned at him. “So I’m sure you have a million questions about what happened.”

“I do.”

“I’m a little fuzzy on some details but Jou gave me a good bit of it. I knew something was wrong when Otogi showed up. He kept acting strange, but when you said you were going to get beer of all things, I just knew something was going on.”

“That’s why you called me sweety. You were letting me know you knew something was wrong.”

She winked at him. “Exactly. I think it’s a pretty good system, huh?”

Kaiba snickered at her.

“So, anyway, I called Mokuba and Liam but it took us a little bit to get to you. We caught Riichi in the lobby and had him arrested, then Mokuba ran up to the office after Riichi said Otogi was working with him.”

Kaiba scoffed, “Good to know he’s still a weasely bastard.”

“He’ll be in prison for a long time. You’ll never have to deal with him again.”

“Good.”

“Mokuba won’t tell me what happened when he got inside, so I’m pretty sure he shot Otogi.”

He scoffed, “Good. Someone should have.”

Sylia smiled at him and shook her head.

“So did Jou tell you how he should’ve known it was Otogi?”

Sylia laughed and nodded. “Oh yeah. Yuugi and him have ranted about that for the last three days. They said during the week you guys weren’t talking, Yuugi took him out for a drink to cheer him up. Otogi went with them and after a few drinks started dragging you through the mud. Jou said it started getting more personal and sketchy, to the point he pissed Yuugi off enough that he got up and left. Jou gave him an earful then went home with Yuugi. They said they kept talking to him because he apologized the next day, claiming he was just having a rough time with his work and he was drunk.”

“Apparently not.”

“No. Yuugi was so mad at him he didn’t talk to him for months after that.”

“Why was Yuugi more mad than Jou?”

“He said at the time, he was pretty mad at you, but even if he wasn’t, he didn’t realize Otogi was serious in anyway, but Yuugi did.”

“Jou’s a little too trusting.”

“It’s a good quality to have around those who are trustworthy.”

“That’s the problem.”

Sylia laughed and patted his hand. “I want to show you something.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She did something on it and turned it so he could see. On her phone was a picture of the hospital waiting room. It was completely filled. Joey laid on a sofa with Kitty sleeping on top of him. Ryou and Honda slept against each others shoulders in a couple chairs next to Jou. Atem Yuugi and Anzu sat on a sofa, looking like they passed out watching a movie or something on a tablet that sat on a white blanket covering them. Mokuba slept on a sofa with his feet up on the arm rest, laying his head in Shizuka’s lap. And Liam sat in a chair with a hat over his face, slouched down with his hands folded in his lap. 

He just kept looking at the photo wondering why they were all there. Jou, Mokuba and Liam made sense. Kitty he supposed, even though it would be easier to have a six year old anywhere else but a waiting room. But all the others? In a hospital waiting room in a different country, sleeping on what looked like the most uncomfortable chairs ever made, because of him.

“Everyone was so worried about you. They were already here, ready to stay the night or week if they had to. Anzu even put off her work to come here and stay.” He looked up at her tear filled eyes. “I’m so proud of you, honey.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“You saved your brothers life, saved Jou’s. You helped your friends build better lives, helped us rebuild our lives and did everything you could to make yours better too. Kitty went from not having a family to being surrounded by people who love her, just like you.” She pointed to the picture on her phone and smiled at him. “This is what life is all about. I’m so proud that you found it.”


	18. Epilogue

##  Epilogue

5 years later, he sat on a wooden lounge chair staring out at the ocean waves lapping at the shore. It took years, but he could finally look at it again without feeling like it was going to swallow him up. Kitty and Jou ran in and out of the waves as he chased after her. He could hear her squealing and laughing from the deck of their beach house. He took a deep breath of the ocean breeze, tapping his finger on the glass of scotch in his hand. He’d need a refill in a moment, but he was too busy watching Jou fall face first into the sand. He snickered and shook his head. 

“Yeah. I’m not related to that,” Shizuka huffed.

“But you are.” Mokuba smiled at her. “We have two kids just like that to prove it and they didn’t get it from me.”

“Oh like you didn’t fall into walls when you were little. They’re 3 and 2. Give them a break.”

“You can’t prove it!” Mokuba laughed and sat down in the wooden lounge chair beside him. “But I have at least 5 from your mom to prove you did.”

Shizuka took an ice cube out of her drink and threw it at Mokuba before snickering and running into the house when Mokuba started to get back up, laughing. He laid back down in the chair and crossed his ankles. Then took a deep breath. “This was a good idea.”

He could only imagine. Mokuba was busy enough with work, the bar and Kitty, but when Shizuka had his niece, Sato, and his nephew, Rini, Mokuba’s life became a hectic mess, but he loved it. Sylia worked at the bar so they could both get a break from it, and Liam took on more responsibilities at Kaiba Corp to help out more as well. It still got to him that Liam and Sylia called his niece and nephew their grandkids, and their whole house became covered in pictures of them. And when Laura came along, they had pictures of her too.

After all that happened, Yuugi and Atem moved back to the States with Anzu in New York. Anzu conned her way into getting Atem written into her contract to do her makeup for the last movie she did, and Honda stunt drove for it. Yuugi still game designed for Kaiba Corp. and they came back frequently for work or just to visit. A few years ago, they got married and adopted a daughter, Laura. She was Kitty’s age and just as filled with attitude. Kitty loved her like a sister, referring to her whenever they talked as her cousin, and made her feel like she was part of the family as much as possible, helping her out when she could. He was very proud of her for that. 

Jou and him still worked at their shop, but after his nephew was born, he ended up getting talked into working on some projects Mokuba wanted done right. And that’s why this beach house was a great idea. It was perfect to get away from all of that and just breathe. So the year he found out Shizuka was having his nephew, Jou and him looked into beach houses and found this one. A house off the coast of North Carolina with a private secluded beach. It was big enough to accommodate all of them, yet cozy enough to feel like a home away from home. Kitty liked it because it was green. It was perfect.

“Jou has a few of them, I’ll give him that.”

“A few. Literally a few,” he snickered, then looked at Kaiba frowning. “I’m surprised you aren’t out there.”

“Canes don’t work well on sand,” he said, staring at his cane leaned against the railing from the deck.

It was beautiful, and he did like it more than he thought he would since he was forced to use it. Not that it was a problem. He could walk. That was the important thing. A cane was a small price to pay for that. Jou got him this one as an anniversary gift. The handle was a dragon made of silver and the length of it made out of onyx. 

“You don’t NEED it all the time,” Mokuba insisted, “Why don’t you go out there?”

“I will later. I’m still not… comfortable with it.”

Mokuba nodded in understanding. “I’m impressed you’re out here at all.”

He smirked at him. “I still love the ocean, I’m just mad at it.”

Mokuba laughed. 

Shizuka came back out with a refill scotch for him. She handed it to him, then made a beeline for Mokuba, sitting on him and spilling his drink. “That’s what you get for not helping,” she giggled.

“They were asleep!”

“Well they’re not anymore.”

He watched Jou and Kitty come back up to the house. They climbed the deck stairs, both covered in sand and dripping wet. Kitty ran up and kissed his cheek then ran into the house. “Laura are you coming out?”

Jou grinned at him and walked over to kiss him. He tasted like sunscreen and salt water and he was pretty sure he got sand in his drink. “I just go this.”

“Now it’s oceanified,” Jou snickered. “Where’s Laura? Kitty was looking for her?”

“How should I know?” 

“Where’s Sylia and Liam?”

“Went for a walk.”

“And Yuugi and Red?”

“I’m not everyone’s babysitter.”

“Just answer me.”

“Inside and before you ask me where everyone else is, Anzu is getting ready to go shopping, and Ryou and Honda are out jet skiing. Need anything else?”

Jou laughed and shook his head. “Are ya comin’ ta the beach with me?”

“Didn’t you just get back?”

“Yeah, ta get YOU.”

“Can’t we do this later?”

“We’re leavin’ tomorrow, babe. Now’s the time.”

He frowned at him and sighed, standing up. He held on to Jou’s shoulder and let him lead him down the stairs and through the dunes to the beach. Once he got over the dune though, he had to stop. The waves crashed along the shore, filling the air with the most beautiful sound, but he still felt like it was coming towards him. Jou stopped and walked in front of him, wrapping his arm around his waist. “I’m right here with ya.”

“I know that.”

Jou grinned and pulled him a little, urging him forward but he’d stop if he wanted him to. They did this every day they were here over the last two years since they bought this place. This was always as far as he could go before starting to panic, but today he kept his eyes on Jou’s, seeing the warmth of home in his sunlit honey eyes and let him pull him closer to the waves. When he felt cold water rush into his feet, he stopped. 

Jou smiled at him, the wind blowing his wet hair across his forehead. “Ya did it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow this was long! This has to be my longest completed fic so far! I'm really proud of it. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. All of your kind comments and kudos mean the world to me! Fan, Felidae5, and Kind Sir, you guys are the best! Your comments made my day! I hope you enjoyed this story of Kaiba finding his way back home. He made it! Look at that XD


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